The first day of the festival is over as well as the beginning of the anniversary celebrations with the formal dinner after the opening ceremony.  By-the-way, in the era of ubiquitous cameras is not surprising to see photos of empty seats! Yes, yesterday was able to see how many rows in the Palais were empty, minutes after the festival was declared open and before the opening film began.

Gee, perhaps a good idea will be to have seat-fillers (like in the Oscars) but in this case with people that actually like the cinema and wish to watch the opening film or maybe there should be some control with the many "celebrities" that walk the red carpet for the photographers and not for the cinema event or in the extreme case, perhaps organizers should avoid hard-proof possibilities and should ban cell phones/cameras! (LOL) (I'm kidding-about cells only)

Nevertheless was fun to see Marion Cotillard walk the red carpet for the fifth time in a row as yes, she has been in Cannes for the last five consecutive years with different films.  Also Charlotte Gainsbourg was a very welcome surprise sighting as she looked beyond gorgeous in the red carpet.  Do believe that European actresses have a lot more elegance and presence than their counterparts from other parts from the world, to make my point take a look at 2017 Met Gala photos with French actresses and place them along to the American celebrities photos, et voilà!

Today is a very active day in Cannes as all the parallel sections have their opening day and the most interesting activity from the independent sections is at the opening of  la Quinzaine with a film by a director I highly enjoy, Claire Denis, starring an actress I simply adore, Juliette Binoche.  As is not an Official Selection, all activities around Un Beau Soleil Interieur are more informal and you can actually see everyone more relaxed, behaving like they do in any other film festival that is not Cannes (lol). Great!

But is in the competition where there is extreme activity as today is the screening of one of the three films I do not mind win la Palme d'Or, Loveless by Andrei Zvyagintsev (the other two are films by Haneke and Loznitsa) plus a film by a great director deciding to go into a genre I believe he hasn't explore before and unsurprisingly, American press already call the first Oscar contender, Wonderstruck by Todd Haynes.

Competition

Нелюбовь Nelyubov (Loveless) by Andrey Zvyagintsev
One of my most admired living Russian contemporary directors that loves to play with visual-poetry in the most unexpected non-traditional way (see The Banishment) with compelling stories that -to me- seem to complement what's happening in the visuals, which usually is the opposite in more conventional cinema. Ah! yes, he has arguably been called Tarkovsky's "successor".  Could write endlessly about his very small body of work (this is his 5th film) but let's be practical and get into Loveless.

Have seen just the trailer and from the little I wish to learn about story have the impression that this time he uses color (his visual trademark) different to tell a before and an after moments in story, plus seems there is a glorious use of light! Yes, seems story could be painful or perhaps more political if you go in-depth below the obvious; but, I'm positive visuals will be breathtaking -as always they are-.



Do not need positive press reaction to be dying to watch film, but they're always welcome and yes, tweets started to pour late yesterday after the press screening and were mostly positive.  Check some reactions below.  Most interesting is film already sold to many markets, including North and Latin America (Sony Classics).  Will share some tech info, among the many nationalities of film producers there is one company that absolutely stands-out as in a way assures film quality above standards, Les Films du Fleuve from Belgium owned by the Dardennes brothers.

Photocall was peaceful as there are no "celebrities" just an outstanding director with his actors.  Sigh.



Press Reactions
Most spontaneous reactions tend to be very positive and as most critics that tweeted last night already published their reviews, can say that at least headlines tend to go to the positive scale (refuse to read reviews until after I see film, lol).  So below there is a mix of tweets and headlines that could give an idea of how positive the film has been received by critics.

On the Positive side
-Andrei Zvyagintsiev's Loveless is a stark, mysterious, terrifying story of spiritual catastrophe - surely a Palme frontrunner ... eerie thriller of hypnotic, mysterious intensity ... Zvyagintsev has produced another masterpiece in this apocalyptic study of a failed marriage and the subsequent disappearance of a child. Peter Bradshaw - The Guardian, UK
-LOVELESS: Well, that's certainly an accurate title. Dreary and intelligent, but it's no LEVIATHAN. Eric Kohn - IndieWire, USA
-Can't tweet about Andrey Zvyagintsev's Loveless w/o getting deeply personal. Traumatic-hypnotic-devastating. Slowly destroyed me. Tomris Laffly - TimeOut NY, USA
-The pristine and merciless new film from Andrey Zvyagintsev begins out in the cold, and its temperature just keeps dropping from there. Robbie Collin - The Telegraph, UK
-Avec “Faute d'amour”, Andreï Zviaguintsev se fait médecin légiste de l'âme russe. Pierre Murat. Telerama
-Plus qu’un drame amoureux, le premier film en compétition à Cannes cette année est un véritable drame sociétal. Avec un acuité flagrante, le cinéaste russe Andrey Zvyagintsev zoome sur la faute d’amour, pour reprendre le titre français de Nelyubov, d’une société individualiste et égocentrique. Jean-Luc Gadreau. France
-Sobre et tendu, #Loveless ausculte un égocentrisme d'élite, lent poison violent d'aujourd'hui. TroisCouleurs, France
-Still haunted by Zvyagintsev's LOVELESS from last night. Not quite LEVIATHAN in its scale but more piercingly interior and sad. Dave Calhoun - TimeOut London
-There's a scene with a crying boy in Zvyagintsev's #LOVELESS that will haunt me for a long time. Heartbreaking. Patrick Heidmann, Berlin

Perhaps the most interesting review is by Sophie Monks Kaufman from Little White Lies that you can read here.  There she talks a little about what I like from Zvyagintsev's films, here is an excerpt:

"Primary colours don’t exist in this film world, save for in a handful of visually memorable moments where orange jackets are dotted across a washed-out hillside. For the most part skies are grey, nature is dead, interiors are dim. In case anyone wasn’t already clear, this is not a happy film."

On the NOT Positive side
-Un début de compétition sans audace mais efficace. Le film d'auteur que l'on savait qu'on verrait en venant à Cannes. Julien Doug, France.
-Sans poésie #LOVELESS est l'antithèse de Leviathan: complaisant, cynique, figé, bavard, bassement provoc et dépourvu d'humanité. Antoine Gaude, France
-I didn't like Loveless very much. Damon Wise, London

Gosh, got lost reading and thinking about this film but definitively now, more than before, I'm dying to see film that perhaps could be more similar to The Banishment than to The Return, Elena or Leviathan. Sigh.

From the Red Carpet



As we know film score competes for the Cannes Soundtrack Award and today the following was posted.
On this first day Loveless (Nelyubov), the intimist and political journey of a crisis-riddled couple, directed by Andrey Zsviagintsev, is showed for the festival's competition. Evgueni Galperine composed a powerful score to highlight by music this enthralling film.



Wonderstruck by Todd Haynes
After master opus Carol many of us wondered where Haynes will go and now we know, he went to tell a juvenile story by the creator of The Invention of Hugo Cabret (remember the movie by Martin Scorsese?), which obviously is strange, at least on paper.

It's strange as he seems to have chosen a very conventional story after doing many not-so-conventional ones; let's hope that he tells story with out-of-the-ordinary style ... and perhaps he did as some initial reactions are talking about the many silences in film and a great Carter Burwell score (so unfortunately is not that silent, has music -sigh).  But indeed, seems film is more a tribute to Silent Cinema, which makes it somehow more appealing to me and helps to understand the use of music in film.

What many are talking is the fact that children are the real leads, not adults (Joanne Moore, Michelle Williams, more) and is the the child that plays Rose, Millicent Simmonds, who seems to call everyone's attention for her performance and for the fact that she's deaf in real life.

As in many of Haynes films, one of the producers is Christine Vachon with her Killer Films; film will be distributed by Amazon Studios and Roadside Attractions in USA, release date is limited, October 20, 2017 and wider in mid-November.

Interesting enough is that while the Netflix saga continues, no one is making waves about Amazon movies in competition. Amazon Studios primarily produces material for their VOD service and that's why has to associate to distribute in theaters.  I have Amazon Prime and yes, I do stream original material as well as movies; so, I ask: what's different from Netflix?  Nothing, for me, as both are options to watch the films I like and wish to see.  But as long as film is released in theaters, no one in Cannes complains! (lol) Odd.

Photocall
Photos made me recall that just last week Michelle Williams and Isabelle Huppert were in a Louis Vuitton event in Tokyo (check some really beautiful photos) and now, a few days later, both are in Cannes!  Here are a couple of photos from Wonderstruck photocall.





Press Reactions
Most tend to be on the positive side and unsurprisingly, but it's a pleasant "un-surprise" (lol), American press loved film to the point that most write that is the first Oscar contender. Talking about Oscar don't understand why American press insists of looking for Oscar "contenders" in Cannes, leave Cannes alone as great-good cinema and go elsewhere to find what you need, surely you will find the contenders at Toronto fest so hold your horses this early in the year. Sigh

Still, after going in-depth, discovered that later reactions (in reviews) tend to be more harsh and go to the negative side of the scale; so, can say that film generated mixed reactions.

On the Positive side
-The title is no idle boast. Todd Haynes is back with his past muse Julianne Moore, but it’s her junior co-stars who hold the spotlight in this enthralling adaptation of Brian Selznick’s illustrated novel for young readers. David Rooney -THR, USA
-  ... an immaculately crafted fable about the ways in which people of all ages learn to break out of their bodies and connect with the world. David Ehrlich - IndieWire, USA
- ... a semi-animated sequence which fills in the links between the two stories is an achingly potent climax to this idiosyncratic charmer of a film. Wendy Ide, ScreenDaily, UK
-Double odyssée new-yorkaise raffinée, #Wonderstruck est une oeuvre sublime au travail sonore fantastique ! Premier bijou à Cannes2017. Dom Maury Lsmartres, France
-I've just been struck by wonder. Delicate, bittersweet... sublime! ... Some scenes in WONDERSTRUCK are so achingly beautiful, they gave me goosebumps and brought tears to my eyes. FilmLand Empire, London
-Je viens donc de passer 2h à pleurer quasiment non stop. Emma C Teaser - Cinemateaser, France
-Tout juste sortis de #Wonderstruck. On ne va pas vous mentir: nous avons trouvé notre Palme d'Or! Saddam Husserl, France
-Comme un conte new-yorkais écrit par Dickens. Sauce Méliès. Apparat enfantin, densité magistrale. Ça commence fort. Thomas Gstaldi, Wask, France

On the NOT Positive side (warm to cold)
-Gooey and indulgent YA fantasy fails to inspire awe ... has nice details but suffers from a glib tone and some preposterous plotting. Peter Bradshaw - The Guardian, UK
- Todd Haynes pens a love letter to silent cinema with New York fable Wonderstruck. Uneven but frequently, well, wonderful. TotalFilm, UK
- The film is a mighty thing to behold, offering up a lush visual and aural landscape that is frequently breathtaking. So why did I leave the theater so unmoved? Richard Lawson - Vanity Fair, USA
-Todd Haynes' adaptation of a children's novel by Brian Selznick ('The Invention of Hugo Cabret') is a lovingly crafted adventure of innocence that winds up being less than the sum of its parts. Owen Gleiberman - Variety, USA
-I wasn't completely struck by #wonderstruck but still found it moving, magical & heartwarming + great music na production, Rado Folta, Poland
-Haynes s'hugocabretise dans le joli WONDERSTRUCK à l'ambiance THE ARTIST/THE GET DOWN/LA NUIT AU MUSÉE. Un peu in-conte-séquent. Leo Soesanto, France
-Délicieux petit bijou spielbergien dans sa 1e moitié, interminable exercice de style dans sa 2nde. Jean-Baptiste Morel, France.
-le mélo Spielberg tenté par Todd Haynes, ultrapersonnel mais étonnamment lourd. Le film de lui que j'❤️ le moins. Olivier Joyard - Les Inrocks, France
-Todd Haynes compose un joli conte sur la puissance atemporelle de l'émerveillement propre à l'enfance. TroisCouleurs, France

After reading about the emotional press conference decided not to check video, so close all about Wonderstuck with a group photo at the top of the red carpet. Enjoy!



Also today, the Cannes Soundtrack Award published the follow about this film.
On this first day the film Wonderstruck, by Todd Haynes, is showed for the competition of the Festival. Carter Burwell, historic composer for Joel and Ethan Coen, composed a minimalist score for this sensory modern tragedy.



Cannes Classics

The Dark of Night by Robin Wright

Tonight before the screening of All That Jazz there will be the premiere of a short film by Robin Wright, which is her first short film as a director, but we have to recall that she has directed several House of Cards episodes.

I'm very curious about this b/w film mainly because wish to see what Wright has to show the world in what has been called an homage to cinema noir, but story also tickles my curiosity as tells about a woman and a waitress, a police officer and a homeless person on the restaurant.  Then, consider that the restaurant is the same as the one in the background of Barry Levinson's 1982 first feature, Diner.

Most interesting is to find that Robin Wright is the first Women in Motion Talk and what she discussed there with Variety moderator has made the buzz allover twitter.  If you wish to see the almost 38 minutes video go here. Talk is in English.



Here is an excerpt



Un Certain Regard

Barbara by Mathieu Amalric
After yesterday's actor-hat, Amalric puts his directors-hat AND his lead-actor-hat for the section opening film starring none other than Jeanne Balibar in a story where a director wants to make a biopic about the famous singer, Barbara.  Will not deny that I'm curious about film. mostly because Barbara, the singer, as seems there will be some singing in the story.

Most reactions -in French- tend to be positive praising Balibar performance as the actress that will play Barbara in the movie and some even going to say that Amalric reinvents the biopic.  There are some mild reviews in Spanish and well, couldn't find one in English (lol).

Check photocall photo.



Cinema de la Plage - Opens with Todo Sobre Mi Madre by Pedro Almodovar.

Also today from the Official Selection, Sea Sorrow by Vanessa Redgrave, Blade of the Immortal by Miike Takashi, and Western by Valeska Grisebach.   In Cannes Classics will also screen El Sol del Membrillo by Victor Erice, Narayama Bushiko by Shohei Imamura, and Native Son by Pierre Chenal.

Quinzaine des Réalisateurs

Un beau soleil intérieur (Let the Sunshine In) by Claire Denis
Yes, was a surprise to see this film in a parallel section but now that have been reading spontaneous reactions believe that understand why film is not in the Official Selection as some believe film belongs to the rom-com genre and one even dares to say that is "Claire Deni's idea of a Nancy Meyers movie" (!!!!).

Perhaps I'm biased, but first, can't imagine a good French movie being tagged as a romantic comedy; second, can't imagine a bad Claire Denis film (no matter how old she is); and third, it's almost impossible that Juliette Binoche does a bad film in French.  Of course film is must-be-seen for me as watch everything with Juliette Binoche! (including Godzilla, where for around 10 minutes of work she earn more than what she earns for around two French films).  Sigh.



Press Reactions
Not all reactions are on the positive side as well, we know Cannes is not necessarily a place for what critics call "romantic comedy" no matter who is the director.
-In a stunning twist, the collaboration between Claire Denis and Juliette Binoche turns out to be absolutely lovely. Guy Lodge - Variety, USA
-Luminously headlined by Juliette Binoche, Claire Denis’s delightful foray into romantic kinda-comedy retains all the director’s signature sensual delicacy. Variety
-Un beau soleil intérieur détonne, par sa prise de risque, son style intempestif, profond et pourtant léger Grazia
-Claire Denis (…) met en scène une Juliette Binoche royale dans le rôle d’une femme désespérément en quête du grand amour. Libération
-Claire Denis opens Directors’ Fortnight with this elegant, mercurial comedy starring Juliette Binoche. ScreenDaily
-Soleil féroce et grinçant en ouverture de la Quinzaine cannoise. Le Vif
-Juliette Binoche rayonne chez Claire Denis. Les Inrocks
(…) the film slowly but surely works its charms, painting a rich, emotionally complex portrait of a woman who, like Denis herself, will not let herself be boxed in. The Hollywood Reporter
-With ‘Let the Sunshine In,’ Claire Denis and Juliette Binoche Deliver a New Kind of Romantic-Comedy. indiewire



The Director's Fortnight also had today the Lebanon Factory event, the Conversation with Carrose d'Or winner Werner Herzog and the screening of his film Port of Call New Orleans.

Semaine de la Critique

Today the opening film Sicilian Ghost Story by Fabio Grassadonia and Antonio Piazza and Los Perros by Marcela Said.  Definitively attracts me more the Chilean film because of the story but wonder why film ended up in the most "crazy" section of the festival.  Nevertheless take a look at Los Perros synopsis:
Mariana (42) is part of that Chilean upper class that takes privilege for granted. Despised by both her father and her husband, she feels a strange attraction towards her riding teacher, Juan (60), a former colonel suspected of human rights abuses during the dictatorship. But their affair cracks through the invisible walls that protect her family from the past.

Was watching the facebook video with the standing ovation for Los Perros when guess who came in the screen?  Alfredo Castro!  Film has become must-be-seen for me, as yes, I watch everything with this magnificent actor.  Bravo!!!  If you wish to see the celebratory short video go here.

ACID

Independent cinema has become integral part of the festival this year as many media outlets have (finally) started to cover about organizers and the films in the selection, which is absolutely GREAT!  Still is a section with unconventional cinema and yes, most films are strange, to say the least.

Today section opened with Before Summer Ends by Maryam Goormaghtigh.

News
-Today under the L'Oreal #CAnniversary Cinema Talk program had Julianne Moore introducing to a captive audience her movie, Maps to the Stars.
-Today there is a Wonderstruck party going on but there are no quality photos to publish yet.
-Last night was the Opening Night party sponsored by fest authorities, most photos I have seen look like a lot of bored well-dressed people (!).
-Tonight there is a French Cinema dinner party where many that were not invited to red carpets are mingling.

Irrelevant News
-Yes, there was a dress malfunction today, in the Red Carpet ... google Petra Memcova if you wish to see it or go to Daily Mail as they have lots of non-conventional pics.
-Will not comment more about the absurd Almodovar vrs Smith that American press is trying to make relevant.  Absolutely absurd news.
-Yes there is a lot of security, so instead of photo after photo showing how secure Cannes is, perhaps should show/talk about how great Cinema is.
-Cara Delevigne is in Cannes working for Magnum ice cream; she's bald because in her next film Life in a Year by Mitja Okorn plays a very ill character.
-Truth: Rihanna is in Cannes for a very private and special Chopard event.  She looks stunning and is dressed very elegant, appropriate for the venue and event, a private dinner. She is set to perform along Bruno Mars tomorrow night.
-Today the most photographed celebrity has to be Michelle Williams as all photo services have hundreds of her photos in all events, photocall, press conference and red carpet.  Some are really out-of-the ordinary and the face-closeup black/white conversions are superb!

Photos

Un Certain Regard Jury at red carpet



Adriana Lima walking Loveless Red Carpet


Nice Duo - would they ever work together?


The Jury at the Opening Ceremony

The third day starts with yesterday's news as the most talked buzz is (again) about Netfllix as at yesterday's press screening "something" went wrong and after about 7 minutes the screen went black when film was stopped generating loud boos from critical press audience.  The incident generated lots of speculations including an "anti-Netflix conspiracy"; but incident was resolved with an apology from festival organizers that read as follows:

A technical problem disrupted the beginning of the screening of Bong Joon Ho's film, Okja, which was shown this morning at a press screening at the Lumiere Auditorium . The session was interrupted fora  few minutes but was then able to carry on as normal. This incident was entirely the responsibility of the Festival's technical service, which offers its apologies to the director, his teams, the producers and the audience at the showing.

Down below will include the full press release as if you read French then will notice subtle changes to the English translation.

Yesterday was a long day for me as wanted to know everything about one of three movies I'm most interested plus there was the Quinzaine opening film; fortunately today will be less stressful as films screening today are alright, nothing special for me.

In general, today's film generated low press buzz, so much that this morning most are already talking about tomorrow's screenings (!).  Obviously the Netflix incident stole the buzz from cinema into something that has nothing to do with what the festival celebrates.

Official Selection

Competition

Okja by Bong Joon-ho

Extremely HAPPY as soon will see movie thanks to Netflix NO-WINDOWS policy. Will not spend much time on this film by one of my favorite contemporary Korean directors with a cast that includes one of my favorite actresses, Tilda Swinton (watch everything with her) and yes, do not mind that cast also includes Jake Gyllenhaal and Lily Collins.  Positive reactions after press screening also helps me to get excited as there is a possibility that film is good and perhaps less commercial cinema; but actually I do not mind as yes, end up watching lots of films that will never see elsewhere, just because they're in Netflix (lol), like -for example- last night saw a Czech film about Goebbels Czech mistress.

Press Reactions
Most yesterday's reactions and today's reviews are on the very-positive side even when many declare "sadness" that film will not be seen in theaters and will be "relegated to ipad's". What??? Seems not many want to admit that streaming does not not mean only small gadgets; see, from my iphone can send video to my TV and same happens from my ipad. So, I see streaming movies from Netflix and others in my TV which obviously is HUGE (lol!).

Nevertheless, mos reactions go to the positive side but what calls my attention is the ones leaning to the not-positive side are mostly in the English-language even when some do not come from American people.

On the Positive side
-Bong Joon-ho's Okja is a wonderful family action-adventure in the spirit of Roald Dahl, Melissa Mathison and Dodie Smith. Peter Bradshaw-The Guardian, UK
-Bong Joon Ho delivers his E.T. with a delightful tale of a mutant pig. Eric Kohn- IndieWire, USA
-Bong Joon-ho’s superpig drama #Okja mixes artfully unhinged spectacle with meat-biz reality check. Trevor Johnston - Sight&Sound,UK
-Fantastic beasts and how to kidnap them. Stephen Dalton-THR, USA
-Okja et sa farandole d’émotion fait putain de rire et pleurer, comme d’habitude chez Bong Joon-ho. Fabuleux <3. Daniel Andreyev - Le Monde, France
-Si tous les films militants pouvaient être aussi farcesques, parodiques et faussement désinvolte qu'Okja<3. Claire Micallef, France
-Spectaculaire, drôle, intelligent et émouvant, Okja est un film écologiste grandiose. Merci Bong Joon-ho. Dom Maury Lasmatres, France
-#Netflix réussit son entrée à Cannes. #Okja est un conte emballant, excentrique et lucide sur son époque. Bravo Bong Joon Ho. Mehdi Omaïs - Les Cinevores, France
-Okja was fantastic, so fresh. An unifentified filming object, a mix between Miyazaki, Spielberg, Wes Anderson and k-comedies. César del Giudice, USA
-OKJA, Quel grand film... Je suis en larmes, encore. Aurelien C Teaser, Cinemateaser, France
-Fabuleux #Okja. Emouvant, burlesque, politique et furieusement vener. Le conte dont l'époque a besoin. Renan Cros - Trois Coleurs, France
-#Netflix ou pas, #Okja est un excellent film. Marie-Laure Rolland - Wort, Luxembourg
-Okja, le film Netflix qui commence sous les huées des journalistes et qui s'achève par une salve d'applaudissements. Laure Croiset - Toutlecine, France
-Dear #Netflix, bring #Okja to every theatre &introduce her to all the kids, she so deserves it. Hadn’t cried that much since Dumbos mom. Karelle Fitoussi
-Tout est bien qui fini bien. #Okja est applaudi à la fin et j'ai plus du tout envie de manger de viande. Matthieu REnard-Pure People, France
-Wowza. Never seen anything like Okja before, one-of-a-kind film. If this doesn't make you go vegetarian, I don't know what will. Alex Billington-First Showing, Berlin

On the Not Positive side
-Okja contains the best and worst of Bong. Loved the 1st half, but his ability to balance wildly divergent tones eventually fails him here. Bilge Ebiri-Village Voice, NY
-While most of the audience booed #netflix at #okja screening, we should rather think of WHY such a great film was only financed by them. Beatrice Behn-Kino Zeit, Germany

Some photos from today's events: photocall, press conference and red carpet. Enjoy!









Film score competes for the Cannes Sountrack Award and here is what was posted today.
Today the film Okja, by Bong Joon-Ho is presented for the official competition. South-Korean director (The Host, Mother, Snowpiercer) called upon Michael Abels, american composer who recently made the score of Get Out (Jordan Peele). 



Jupiter holdja (Jupiter's Moon) by Kornél Mundruczó

Please note that film has officially changed name to Jupiter Holdja.  Director is a by now a Cannes regular but me, I'm not really attracted to this film and now after learning press reactions interest did not increase and went even lower -sigh.  The only things that probably will make me see film are the stunning visuals and the use of tech specs.

Press Reactions
Was not able to find something positive about film as most -if not all- reactions tend to go to the not positive side of the espectrum.

On the NOT Positive side
- incredibly ambitious but also, at times, uneven work. Boyd van Hoeij-THR, Europe 
-Ambitious parable about a flying refugee never quite takes off. Peter Bradshaw-The Guardian, UK
-... the heavy burden of the subject matter ends up weighing the film down and playing on a fairly repetitive loop with slight dramatic variations. Fabien Lemercier-Cineuropa
-As visually arresting as Kornél Mundruczó’s latest film “Jupiter’s Moon” undoubtedly is, it remains too intellectually imprisoned within its own allegorical confines to make a truly positive impact. Nikola Grozdanovi-The Playlist-IndieWire, USA
-Una película sobre un refugiado sirio que vuela y cura en su paso por Hungría es la trama de este absurdo e irresponsable filme de supuesto realismo mágico y compromiso humanitario que está misteriosamente en competencia en el festival. Diego Lerer-Micropsia, Argentina

A photo from the photocall session.





Film score is competing for Cannes Soundtrack Award and here is what was posted today.
Today, Jupiter's Moon by Kornel Mundruczo is presented for official competition. Powerful tragedy about everyday life of refugees in Hungary, the soundtrack is composed and performed by Jed Kurzel, leader the Australian band The Mess Hall. 



Un Certain Regard
There are two films in this section today:  Lerd (A Man of Integrity) by Mohammad Rasoulof and Aala Ka Ifrit (Beauty and the Dogs) by Kaouther Ben Hani.  Both seem to have strong stories but not attracted to films as a complete cinematic experience.

Some photos from A Man of Integrity first, and Beauty and the Dogs second.





Special Screenings
They by Anahita Ghazvinizadeh
Very curious about this film that's produced by none other than Jane Campion and feel relief to learn that film got positive reactions from reliable press coverage like Screen Daily that says "a mature and moving story of childhood, growth and identity"; always considers "the fact that the actor is transitioning from female to male results in a performance that is achingly naturalistic".  Film is competing for the Camera d'Or and also for the Queer Palm.

Visages Villages by Agnès Varda and JR
Yes, has to be very interesting from the artistic point of view.  This is a project that should travel the world. Must-be-seen.



Midnight Screenings
A Prayer Berfore Dawn by Jean-Stephane Sauvaire
Beautiful poster but film is too-violent for me. Sigh.

Cannes Classics
Today section will screen the following films.
Körhintaby Zoltan Fabri
Yol-The Full Version by Yılmaz Güney and Şerif Gören
Le Salaire de la peur by Henri-Georges Clouzot
Filmworker by Tony Zierra (documentary)
Ai No Korida (In the Realm of the Senses) by Nagisa Ôshima (milestone film for me, if you haven't seen suggest you do ASAP)

Cinéma de la Plage: Bugsy Malone by Alan Parker

Quinzaine des Réalisateurs

L'Amant d'Un Jour (Lover for a Day) by Philippe Garrel
The last installment from the trilogy that started with Jealousy followed by In the Shadow of Women that the only thing calling my attention is film lead, Esther Garrel, the director's daughter and sister to Louis Garrel.



A Ciambra by Jonas Carpignano
Not really enjoyed his first films and seems his second even when seems to have an interesting story, a delinquent becomes a movie star, doesn't appeal to me. Sigh.



Semaine de la Critique

Avaby LéaMysius
Positive reactions stimulate me to get interested in this film by a female director with female leads. Let's hope film makes it beyond festival.

Women in Motion
Today the conversation was with Isabelle Huppert!  There is a nice article here with Huppert qoutes from the talk, available only in Frech



Clip



News
-Today the Creative Europe Media stand opened with the presentation of Producing Becoming Cary Grant and the presentation of European Cinema vs The Filter Bubble.
-Yesterday read the terrible news about the passing of Kim Ji-seok after suffering a heart attack in Cannes. He was Busan Festival Deputy Director, a founding member of the festival and also the festival's executive programmer.
-Tonight at the Film Industry Professionals gala dinner Pierre Lescure and Thierry Fremaux will pay tribute to Jeffrey Katzenberg for his contribution to the animation industry and to film in general throughout the world.  He will also be presented with an Honorary Palme.  Check press release here.

Irreverent News
-Fench Cinema was shining bright like a diamond yesterday at the Unifrance, Chopard and Madame Figaro dinner.  Yes, is the one where Rihanna stole the show (lol) and yes, is where she launched her Chopard Jewelry collection.  Check photo down below as she looks like a true movie star, very elegant or like what a headline says: Rihanna exudes old-school Hollywood glamour.
-Tonight the Villa Schweppes is happening, there are quite a lot of photos with unknown people (LOL).

Photos

Incident Press Release


Juliette Binoche at Okja red carpet


Rihanna at last night dinner


Nice Lilly and Jake photo

The most unusual question came up yesterday, why you don't do reviews anymore? Have no answer but to say that maybe will do it again, eventually when the "dry" spell I'm is over. No matter how dry the spell is, I love to learn about movies and there you have it, that's the reason why I like to do this day-to-day Cannes coverage where I learn about movies already know I like and more important, discover movies that I didn't have idea could like.  That's the answer to the second question, why do I do this daily Cannes coverage?  If you miss my reviews the next best thing for now is to learn which films call my attention as surely will enjoy them and perhaps you, loyal readers, too.  So, that's it. Thank you for your questions.

Today is another interesting day as there are several films that call my attention; unless I really lost my sight into the future, the Queer Palm winner will be seen today by audiences plus juries and was seen yesterday by the press with the very positive reactions. Also today a quiet American film which is kind of an oxymoron especially because has two top Hollywood stars and a Mexican film with all the right credentials including an actress from the last Almodovar film.

Just read something that unfortunately is true.  There are many films in Cannes 2017 that are outstanding or have the right credentials for audiences to see; but, most will not be seen in theaters.  So true. So sad. Maybe they should make a deal with Netflix and perhaps the world can see them, sigh.

Official Selection

Competition

120 Battements par minute [BPM (Beats per Minute)] by Robin Campillo

Of course I'm highly interested in watching this film that unless something inexplicable happens will win the Queer Palm and now I'm sure after the most positive reactions after the press screening.  Seems film generated lots of emotions in the audience, including tears and many are saying Nahuel Pérez Biscayart has become the front-runner for the Best Actor award (too early to call) but it's interesting that this Argentinean actor leads for now.

Will not deny that I'm Adèle Haenel fan (just look how many photos are in my Cannes pinterest-lol)  and try to see everything with her, so yes that's another reason for film to be must-be-seen for me and as of this moment, I'm preparing the tissues as know it will be a strong emotional ride. Sigh.

Press Reactions
Reactions are on the very positive side of the scale with very few going to the negative or center position.  Most interesting is the fact that reactions are positive in all languages I understand, which is not usual; then, also, known-to-me LGBT critics and straight ones agree -which is more unusual for a LGBT film.

-Robin Campillo commemorates the legacy of direct-action group ACT UP with a movie that is tragic, urgent and full of cinematic life. Peter Bradshaw-The Guardian, UK
-Conventional but enhanced by its intelligence and restraint. Has a poetic ending, goes 10 more minutes. Tim Grierson-Rolling Stone, USA
-Our first legitimate Palme contender. Draining, powerful. I cried! Matt Hoffman-TIFF, Canada
-Essential viewing. Film gracefully, sharply humanizes a historical tragedy. Richard Lawson-Vanity Fair, USA
-Déchirant... puissant..." Robin Campillo fait vibrer le coeur, Vincent Formica-allocine, France
-Très très fort #120battementsparminute.Film de lutte, film de bande, histoire d'amour déchirante, mortifère et traversé d'une énergie dingue. Renan Cros-TroisColeurs, France
-2000 personnes qui sortent d'une salle, en pleurs et dans le silence #120battementsparminute le choc #Cannes2017. Barbara Govaerts, France
-Like God's Own Country, 120 Beats Per Minute has one of the most visceral and moving gay sex scenes on film. Gregory Ellwood-The Playlist, USA







Regarding the Cannes Soundtrack Award this was said today.
120 Heartbeats per minute by Robin Campillo is showed today for the official selection. First time in Cannes for this director, this deeply moving drama traces back the beginings of Act-up during the first discovers of aids. Arnaud Rebotini, electronic musician and founder of Black Strobe, composed the score of this powerful and committed film. 



The Square by Ruben Östlund

Love Östlund films and still the best for me is 2008 Involuntary, but enjoyed Force Majeure and yes, I'm looking forward to see his latest even when is his first in a language that is not his mother tongue.  But having Elisabeth Moss and Dominic West makes me feel a little at ease and after reading press reactions believe that will highly enjoy film.  Great.

Alright press reactions were divided BUT for this film, will pay attention to those critics I know like great cinema (lol) and surprise (!) all their reactionsare positive!  There are some that went back today to reconsider what they said spontaneously yesterday, which only says film will be the kind I like, complex not easy (obvious) to digest.  Bravo!!! Can't wait.

Perhaps is not top award material according to most press reactions but you never know what the jury will do and this year's jury has a mix of Europe-America, directors-actors that could surprise us all.

Press Reactions
Here are some samples of the positive ones, but just browse twitter to find the many negative-sigh.
-Hunts the same meaty game as 'Force Majeure' and further twists the knife. Film Stage, USA
-The Square from Ruben Ostlund is SUPERB. Witty, mischievous and completely skewers the so-called metropolitan elite. Loved it. Katherine Butler, UK
-Still chewing over Ruben Ostlund's THE SQUARE. Brimful of innovation; the best sequences I've seen, but doesn't exactly coalesce. Nick James-Sight&Sound, UK
-Ruben Östlund takes dead aim at art world pomposity in his #Cannes70 competition film-Little White Lies, UK
-Ruben Ostlund's THE SQUARE, or LO, AND I AM BECOME CLICKBAIT: THE MOTION PICTURE. Hilarious, terrifying. Maybe too long, but still: wow. Bilge Ebiri-Villlage Voice, USA
-Smart, Sharp, Deliciously Uncomfortable. The Playlist, USA





Regarding the Cannes Soundtrack Award this was said today.
Jury Prize in 2014 for Snow Therapy, this year Ruben Ostlund accedes to the official competition with The Square, a powerful criticism of our society, its contradictions and its cowardice.
Film has various artists but Andreas Franck is the audio engineer.



Un Certain Regard

Las Hijas de Abril (April's Daughter) by Michel Franco
Not crazy about Franco's films but will not deny that having Emma Suarez in the lead makes film to go to a different stage plus the best is film is Spanish, director's mother-tongue. I'm curious to see if film is as good as what press reactions in Spanish think it is.  By the way, film opens on June 30th in Mexico.

Press Reactions
-Menudo sexy thriller "Las hijas de Abril" de Michel Franco con gran Emma Suarez. Una sorpresa intensa de pasiones enfermizas. Nacho Gonzalo, Madrid
-Gran ovació a la sorprenent "Las hijas de Abril" de M. Franco. E. Suárez en un dels papers més cruels de la seva carrera. Geni Lozano, Barcelona
-Another quietly menacing portrait of individual strangeness from Michel Franco. Emma Suarez is outstanding. Martyn Conterio, UK
-precisely constructed mother-daughter sunlit melodrama APRIL'S DAUGHTERS is a little too monstrous at times. Nick James-Sight&Sound, UK



Wind River by Taylor Sheridan
This is the kind of movie that doesn't need a festival promotion but already been in Sundance and now in Cannes gives film a push among cinephiles more than among general audiences.  Usually this is the type of film that watch for entertainment purposes but do not mind at all Cannes endorsement as makes me think that perhaps will enjoy film as a cinematic experience.

A quiet film in all the Cannes noise but thanks to the two Hollywood stars it's getting attention in the photocall and the movie lunch event.  Good, as most films in this section tend to pass quietly into Cannes craziness.



路过未来 Lu Guo Wei Lai (Walking Past The Future) by Li Ruijun
This is the best example of films that I could tend to ignore but when go in-depth, become must-be-seen for me. Lucky French people as MK2 already acquired rights for France but no news about the rest of the world, sigh.

Not much familiar with director but story and press reactions made think about Jia Zhang-ke films, which obviously rises my expectations, especially because seems film also uses Jia's trademark coldish visuals.  Among the interesting reactions there is one that calls film "a powerful exploration of the cruelty of capitalism. Affecting, with great ending".



Special Screenings

Come Swim by Kristen Stewart
Me, like many in the world, are waiting to see Stewart's directorial debut. Press went crazy with long lines to see short and press reactions to her interviews at press junkets are positive, even from not-always-nice critics.

Stewart is driving internet crazy with her red carpet photos but her photos from press junkets are perhaps more interesting.  Not much has been said about her short film, but then who cares! (lol)  Will watch short no matter what critics say. Forgot short was at Sundance so many have already written reviews and yes, they're positive.

Some Press Reactions
-Avec #ComeSwim, #KristenStewart signe un court métrage torturé, véritable cauchemar frénétique et ésotérique. Surprenant. Dom Maury Lasmartres, France.




Director, her actor, her producer and Thierry Fremaux before the screening of Come Swim



Today also in the Special Screenings section, Promised Land by Eugene Jarecki and Le Vénérable W. (The Venerable W.) by Barbet Schroeder.

Cannes Classics
-Today Clint Eastwood will introduce his film Unforgiving, presented in a 4K remastered version by Warner on the ocassion of its 25th anniversary; tomorrow Eastwood will inaugurate the 70th Anniversary Masterclass .
-Also today, A River Runs Through Itby Robert Redford.

Cinéma de la plage: Saturday Night Fever by John Badham

Quinzaine des Réalisateurs
Ôtez-moi d'un doute (Just to Be Sure) by Carine Tardieu
Another must-be-seen film for me because cast as lead is none other than Cécile de France and after reading some reactions my expectations were risen a little.



Today also the screening of The Rider by Chloé Zhao and Alive in France by Abel Ferrara.

Semaine de la Critique
Today Petit Paysan by Hubert Charuel and Tehran Taboo by Ali Soozandeh, which is the first-ever animated film in this section.  Both gathered positive reactions but is the animated film the one that was called "Cannes Hidden Gem" by THR.

News
-Congratulations to Swiss Films Pavillion for winning the Grand Prix Design Award.  The award was presented by Pierre Lescurre.
-After two days of competition, French critics have in top of their ranking, Loveless by Andrey Zvyagintsev.  Most unusual is the fact that British critics have the same film on top; only American press seems to be leaning to other more conventional American cinema, like Wonderstruck by Todd Haynes.  But it's early, scale will movie.  Betting odds still have Haneke in first place as of today, but Beats Per Minute went up to the second place, downloading Loveless to third.  Well, seen the latest Palmometre from French critics and 120 Battements par minute has taken the lead as of today.
-Salle Debussy was evacuated after security situation. Film press screening was Le Redoutable by Hazanavisius.  After a while everything went back to normal, no one was harmed and no one protested ...

Irreverent News
-Aish is allover the net with many incredibly beautiful photos from last night and this morning.  It's the first year before her retirement to motherhood, that she really looks like having a "come back".  She's in Cannes to present a restored version of outstanding Devdas as well as to work as L'Oreal spokesperson.
-Today's best tweet reads "So many mistakes and screening disasters at #Cannes2017, you'd think PriceWaterhouseCoopers opened a branch on the Croisette". Hilarious!
-For those who wonder why Rihanna is in Cannes at a cinema event, let me remind you that since 2012 Battleship, she has been doing movies; her latest and perhaps more visible film will be 2018 Ocean's Eight along Cate Blanchett, Sandra Bullock, Anne Hathaway and more. So, she's trying and perhaps IF she learns to act, she could make it.
-Today has been a very intense lesbian-interest day in Cannes as a few of out-of-the-closet women have walked the red carpet.  Was good for real life but not good for lesbian-interest cinema, sigh.

Photo

Isabelle Huppert at last night Chopard event where Rihanna and Bruno Mars performed


Master filmmaker Michael Haneke is in Cannes!!!


Taken with iphone - Beautiful photo.

Day five marks the beginning of Nicole Kidman in Cannes as the first of the four films is screened today and not less-relevant, today is the first film (out of two) with Isabelle Huppert in the lead.  But day will be on the soft side for me  as not really interested in much of the films screened today, with a few exceptions, of course.

Know that Happy End by Michael Haneke will screen tomorrow but press screening is today and I'm dying to find my favorite film critics reactions.  Not that will matter (lol) as will see film no matter whoever says whatever.  But as many in the world, I'm curious.

Will not publish until me learning press reactions to Haneke's film as will talk about them today to compensate for the films screened today at fest. By-the-way, imagine that not many have realized that Happy End poster is a cell phone... similar to what you see when you're about to take photo with your phone.  This is something that has been puzzling me as wish to know why there is a phone but at the same time I hate to have a movie spoiled and somehow suspect that if learn reason why will spoil something (big) in the movie.

So here I go with some press reactions about Happy End by Michael Haneke but there is one that hit me HARD as made me wonder if Happy End is Haneke saying goodbye! Oh, no! I know he's 75-years-old but he has time for more masterpieces and truly wish for him to be the first director to win three Palme d'Or.

Most unusual/strange/odd comment comes from finding Sia's Chandelier is in a Haneke movie!  Then you have iconic tweet by Kyle Buchanan that reads as follows: "Michael Haneke is 75 and his new film has Instagram Live, YouTubers, Facebook chat about piss play, *and* Sia. When will your elderly faves?"

Lines to get in at first press screening were long, second screening are longer ... some saying not seen in Cannes since Carol by Todd Haynes lines.

Press Reactions
Film critics I know tend to have positive reactions; but in general, film divided opinions.
-Michael Haneke's Happy End is a satirical nightmare of European prosperity - stark, brilliant and unforgiving as a halogen light. Peter Bradshaw-The Guardian,UK
-Haneke's HAPPY END: Cinema of despair at its finest, including the most depressing karaoke scene in film history. Eric Kohn-indiewire, USA
-Michael Haneke has made a serious bid for his third Palme d'Or with insidious family drama Happy End. It grips and never lets go. TotalFilm, USA
-'Happy End' is the film I wanted Haneke to make after 'Amour.' A unique & original vision that demands every frame 2 be studied. Jordan Ruimy-The Playlist, USA
-Haneke's HAPPY END talks back to all his previous films while existing starkly in the here and now. Career epilogue?Final film? Dave Calhoun-TimeOut, London
-Happy End: the sweet agony of Michael Haneke. Who else could keep you engrossed in a story about suicide, social media& family? Alicia Malone-FilmStruck, USA
-HAPPY END de Michael Haneke es como un pastiche de sí mismo; o resumen de su obra, que no suene mal. También frío, pero eso no es novedad. Ricardo Aldarondo, Spain.
-Haneke's HAPPY END. A perplexing meditation on the bourgeois nightmare. Wilfully lacks a centre. Uncurls like a snake. Donald Clarke-The Irish Times, Ireland
-Plus aride et déspéré que jamais, #Haneke filme un monde déjà mort. TroisColeurs, France
-Happy End. Un Haneke menor con aires de 'greatest hits'. Y aun así, tiene su fuerza. Como un diesel, arranca lento y contamina mucho. Alex Vicente-El Pais, Spain

LOVE press reactions as on the surface they're controversial and that's exactly what I was expecting: controversy, division, incredulity as IF everyone was in accord on the extreme positive or the extreme negative THEN I'll be really worry. Michael Haneke is complex, not easy to digest and seems his latest film has his unique filmmaking style.  There was one tweet that say something smart, goes something like this: will sleep tonight, probably will dream about it but tomorrow will try to separate the many films I saw today in one Haneke film. Brilliant!!!

Official Selection

Competition

Le Redoutable by Michel Hazanavicius
I'm not ignorant about Godard's life story, so it's no surprise that most people find a story about him not pleasant to watch.  Still this is a film that probably will see because of the lead actor as really do not like films by the director.

Press Reactions
Reactions tend to go to the not positive side of the scale but there are some film elements that find their way into a more positive reception. Most interesting to find that reactions in the English-language tend to be a lot more positive than in French.
- ... [positive words] ... Only hardcore Godardians -a pretty unforgiving bunch- would reject it out of hand.  Jonathan Romney-Screendaily, UK (LOL!!!)
-Pétillant, drôle, inspiré, inattendu.L'audace de Hazanavicius et la perf de Garrel.Grand8 passionnant sur Godard. Alexandre Caporal, Switzerland
-Plaisant et léger #LeRedoutable. Louis Garrel est un sérieux candidat au prix d'interprétation masculine. Mehdi Omaïs, France
-Comédie pop, (auto)portrait d'un réalisateur égocentrique #leredoutable confirme surtout que Louis Garrel est un acteur comique qui s'ignore. Yannick Vely - ParisMatch, France
-Amusante utilisation des tics filmiques de JLG pour un portrait vif et léger, clin d'oeil aux cinéphiles, qui tourne à vide. David Verhaeghe-TF1, France
-Si ya odiaba a Hazanavicius por 'The Artist', con 'Le redoutable' se ha ganado mi absoluto desprecio; un verdadero cáncer del cine... Hans Lucas.





Another film with various artists competing for the Cannes Soundtrack award.



The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected) by Noah Baumbach
Perhaps the most interesting news about this film come from an American film critic reaction: ... "Won't Be An Oscar Contender" apparently because is good as some call it "Best Baumbach" until now with "great" performances by Sandler (!?) and Stiller. (LOL!!!) Truth that besides Emma Thompson, I'm no fan of any one related to film and say something nice about Baumbach, let me share that I sort tolerate his movies where Greta Gerwig is the lead.  Sigh.

But since film will be available to the world on the same day (with NO Windows) there are chances that will watch it. (lol).

To be fair there are reports that Adam Sandler performance "drew glowing reviews ... and even buzz about a best actor prize" even when critics "sniffed when Hollywood funnyman got invited to Cannes".  Film gets positive reviews and some claim is Netflix best, commenting that seems Netflix is getting very discerning about content.  So, seems is a good movie after all.

Press Reactions
- Noah Baumbach made a Kore-Eda movie and it's as sweet and prickly and sad as you might expect. Emily Yoshida-Vulture, USA
-Wow, Adam Sandler might actually belong in Cannes ... it remains hugely frustrating how great he can be when he's not making Adam Sandler movies. The Wrap
-Kind of love that Adam Sandler is so rarely as great as he is in 'The Meyerowitz Stories', because when he is it feels so revelatory. Robbie Collin-Daily Telegraph, UK
-Noah Baumbach’s latest boasts smart writing and a strong ensemble cast, but it’s Stiller who steals the show with a remarkable display of emotion ... is a family comedy on familiar lines, but with real warmth and charm. Peter Bradshaw-The Guardian, UK
-Baumbach has out-baumbached himself in #MeyerowitzStories. Very neurotic, quick-talk NY crazy. It's a love or hate kinda thing. Beatrice Behn-Kino Zeit, Berlin





Cannes Soundtrack award says today:
First time in film competition for Noah Baumbach with The Meyerowitz Stories, the film follows a crisis-riddled siblings gathered round the decline father. Baumbach is a part of american director's new generation. Randy Newman, famous and prestigious composer, gave music to this satirical comedy.



Out of Competition
How to Talk to Girls at Parties by John Cameron Mitchell
Most surprising photo of the day is film photocall with NO Nicole Kidman!!! Where is she?  Oh! Yes she is in the red carpet, which is live right now, Kidman and Fanning look like mother and child (!).  Have to say that love JCM look, he's very peculiar/particular but not only in cinema events, loved him in his The Good Fight stint as Milo Yiannopoulos. Great!

Believe Cameron Mitchell films are an acquired taste and definitively are not for general audiences, as tend to be quite image and narrative playful and well, even grotesque which easily generates cult following.  Nevertheless, his films are quite fun to watch if you do not take them too seriously.

Press Reactions
-Thumbs up for How To Talk To Girls at Parties. It’s like Sing Street with punks, aliens and colour-coded latex. Top tunes too. Jordan Farley-TotalFilm, UK
-Totally bonkers w/ splashes of zany B-camp sci-fi entertaining ridiculousness. Original & fun! Nikola Grozdanovic-The Plalylist, USA







Un Certain Regard
Fortunataby Sergio Castellito
Cannes 2017 has not much Italian films but I'm glad Sergio Castellito's film made it to the Official Selection as I do like his films and this one in particular has a cast that I like.  Besides story seems like a slice of life, a style that nowadays seems to be disappearing but that I highly enjoy as stimulates your imagination -if you wish- to see the before and after.  Yes, surely will watch this film.

Press Reactions
-Sergio Castellito filme amoureusement la sublime Jasmine Trinca. Hélas, récit convenu et parfois artificiel. Mehdi Omais-TroisColeurs, France
-Bravisima "Fortunata" de Sergio Castellito. Odisea de madre coraje y su hija hacia la libertad de ser ellas mismas. Un disfrute. Nacho Gonzalo-Spain



Sanpo suru shinryakusha (Before We Vanish) by Kiyoshi Kurosawa
Yes I'm interested in film basically because I like director's films, even when is another alien invasion film and no matter the critic's reactions that tend to be mixed.

Press Reactions
-The new k. Kurosawa was a bizarre, sometimes grotesque and surprisingly poetic. Cesar del Giudice
-commence très très fort mais se perd un peu en chemin pour finir dans une certaine mièvrerie. #cannes2017 Dommage! Christophe Grosjean, France
-Kurosawa fait son Body Snatchers conceptuel, intéressant même si pas toujours réussi. Nicolas Lemerle-Romania



Special Screenings
Keul-le-eo-ui ka-me-la (Claire's Camera) by Hong Sangsoo
Film was made last year while director and actors were in Cannes; so just for this fact is interesting as undoubtedly will reflect peculiar and particular director's style.  Then Isabelle Huppert is the lead and no suprise, I see everything with her in it. Unsurprisingly most reviews are on the very positive side with a few slightly negative coming mainly from Spain's film critics.

Press Reactions
-A short and sweet divertissement with a few profound punchlines. Deborah Young-THR, USA
-A big laugh greets Isabelle Huppert's first line in Hong Sang-Soo's CLAIRE'S CAMERA: "I've never been to Cannes before!" Caspar Salmon, UK
-is HSS at his silliest. Features Huppert saying she's never been to Cannes and Y&Y poster. A delight, obviously. tanni Erdmann, US
-Hong Sangsoo reunited with Huppert in a Cannes-set funny film with some downer moments, of course. Mikko Pihkoluoma, Finland
-és un dels Hong Sangsoo que donen menys joc. Un divertiment cannoise catàrtic amb Isabelle Huppert de guest star. Eulàlia Iglesias Huix‏, Barcelona,Spain
-Decepcionante regreso de Hong Sang-soo, pero con algún diálogo de antología y reflexión sobre poder transformador de imagen. Alex Vicente-El Pais, Spain





Also in Special Screenings: Napalm by Claude Lanzmann and Carré 35 (Plot 35) by Eric Caravaca (which got very positive reviews and makes it top contender for L'oeil d'Or award).

Midnight Screenings
Today Ak-Nyeo (The Villainess) by Jung Byung-gil.

Cannes Classics
Masterclass by Clint Eastwood
Człowiek z żelaza by Andrej Wajda
David Stratton - A Cinematic Life by Sally Aitken (documentary)

Cinema de la Plage:  Special Event - M in Concert (Matthieu Chedid) who is presenting his new album "ÎL" EST UNE ÂME, le Baptême de LAMOMALI accompanied by Toumani & Sidiki Diabaté, the singer Fatoumata Diawara and the Afro Pop Orchestra.

Quinzaine des Réalisateurs
Today a film by one director I enjoy Amos Gitai but this time he's in Cannes with a documentary, a film by a director that not sure I like his films (don't understand his humor) and the perspective of watching a musical is not attractive for me, and last

Still Dumont's film has very positive reactions (between Dreyer and Metallica), Amos Gitai's doc also tends to get positive reviews (Gitai weaves together a surprisingly uplifting ode to tolerance and peace) and de Fontenay film is called "hidden gem" by THR.  So maybe eventually could give films a try. Sigh.
 
Jeannette l'Enfance de Jeanne d'Arc (Jeannette the Childhood of Joan of Arc) by Bruno Dumont
Mobile Homes by Vladimir de Fontenay
West of the Jordan River (Field Diary Revisited) by Amos Gitai

Semaine de la Critique
Gabriel e a Montanha (Gabriel and the Mountain) by Fellipe Gamarano Barbosa
Not positive reviews for Gamarano's film "wandering toward a dead end" but as we now section has always "strange" films.  Also today short films from the Special Screenings section.

News
-Costa-Gavras wins the Prix France Culture Consécration for his lifetime work; Sébastien Laudenbach wins the Prix France Culture Cinéma des Etudiants and Rudi Rosenberg wins Prix International Students Award UniFrance/France Culture.  To learn more about the awards given today go to official site here, available only in French.
-Yesterday Elle Fanning Presented Ginger and Rosa At the L’Oreal Paris Cinema Club in Cannes.
-The Short Film Corner will open tomorrow, Monday 22nd and short films screenings will start to happen.
-Tonight is the Women in Motion soirée where Isabelle Huppert will receive the third Women in Motion award.
-Chopard names up-and-coming talent Trophy Award winners: Anya Taylor-Joy and George MacKay.  The will receive the award from Charlize Theron at tomorrow night at the Martinez hotel.

Irreverent News
-Last night was the Vanity Fair and HBO diner party plus the afterwards part hosted by Vanity Fair and chopard at the magnificent Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc, there are some interesting photos that perhaps should share.
-Today there is the Ace of Spades and Three Six Zero Entertainment party at Les Hauts de Saint Julien which looks the perfect place for a Sunday afternoon, sigh.  Nice photos around the usual sites.
-Today, Brittany Snow cuts the red ribbon to open the American Pavillion at Cannes.

Photos

Red carpet duo, Elle Fanning and Nicole Kidman


Interesting duos at Vanity Fair HBO party

Jake Gyllenhaal and Isabelle Huppert


Clint Eastwood and Alejandro González Iñárritu


Isabelle Huppert and Julianne Moore


Greta Gerwig and Isabelle Huppert


Charlotte Gainsbourg and Emma Thompson

Post will be in progress until after the Official Awards Ceremony next Sunday.

Awards started to be announced today and will update post as soon as awards are announced.



Quinzaine des Réalisateurs (Directors' Fortnight)

Feature Films
SACD Award (tie): 
Un Beau Soleil Intérieur (Let The Sunshine In), Claire Denis, France
L'Amant d'un Jour (Lover for a Day), Philippe Garrel, France
Special Mention:
CICAE Arte Cinema Prize: The Rider, Chloé Zhao, USA
Label Europa Cinemas Prize: A Ciambra, Jonas Carpignano, Italy, France and Germany

Short Films
Illy Prize: Retour à Genoa City, Benoit Grimalt, France, 28' (documentary)
Special Mention:

Carrose d'Or: Werner Herzog

Semaine de la Critique (Critics' Week)

Feature Films
Grand Prix: Makala, Emmanuel Gras, France
Visionary Award: Gabriel e a montanha (Gabriel and the Mountain), Fellipe Gamarano Barbosa, Brazil and France
SACD Award: Ava, Léa Mysius, France
GAN Foundation Support for Distribution Award: Gabriel e a montanha (Gabriel and the Mountain), Fellipe Gamarano Barbosa, Brazil and France

Short Films
Canal+ Award: Najpiękniejsze fajerwerki ever (The Best Fireworks Ever), Aleksandra Terpińska, Poland, 30'
Cine Discovery Prize: Los Desheredados, Laura Ferrés, Spain, 18'

Cinéfondation
First Prize: Paul est là (Paul is Here), Valentina Maurel, INSAS, Belgium, 24'
Second Prize: حیوان Heyvan (Animal), Bahman Ark, Iranian School of Cinema, Iran, 15'
Third Prize: Deux égarés sont morts, Tommaso Usberti, La Fémis, France, 27'

L'Atelier
Prix Arte International: The Translator, Rana Kazkaz and Anas Khalaf, Syria

Collateral Awards

15th Prix UniFrance Short Films
Grand Prix: Marlon, Jessica Palud, Belgium and France, 20'
Special Jury Prize: Les Bigorneaux, Alice Vial, France, 25'
Prix Coup de Coeur RTI: Marlon, Jessica Palud, Belgium and France, 20'
Prix Coup de Coeur Movistar+: Negative Space, Max Poter and Ru Kuwahata, France, 4' (animation)
Prix Coup de Coeur Grand Action: Marlon, Jessica Palud, Belgium and France, 20'

Rail d'Or Short Film Award:  Najpiękniejsze fajerwerki ever (The Best Fireworks Ever), Aleksandra Terpińska, Poland, 30'

Prix France Culture
Prix France Culture Consécration: Costa-Gavras
Prix France Culture Cinéma des Etudiants: Sébastien Laudenbach
Prix International Students Award: Rudi Rosenberg

Pierre Angénieux Excellens in Cinematography: Christopher Doyle

Palm Dog Awards
Palm Dog: Bruno in The Meyerowitz Stories by Noah Baumbach
Grand Prix du Jury: Lupo in Ava by Léa Mysius
Dogumanitarian Award: Leslie Caron with Tchi Tchi in ITV drama The Durrells
Special Jury Award: Three security dogs, Lilou, Glock and Even.

Women in Motion Award:  Isabelle Huppert
Women in Motion Young Talents Award: Maysaloun Hamoud, director and scriptwriter, Palestine

Choppard Trophy for up-and-coming talent
Anya Taylor-Joy
George MacKay

Today's Agenda - Sunday May 28th

06:00pm : Red carpet of closing ceremony
08:30pm : Press conference of the jury
09:30pm : Photocall of winners
09:45pm : Press conference of winners


Youtube



Use link to watch closing ceremony

LINK


Cannes 2017: Suivez en live la cérémonie de...par CinemaCanalPlus

Yesterday the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) announced is extending 774 invitations to join the organization and because there are some people I was very positively impressed they were invited, as well as was utterly impressed Kristen Stewart is not a member as of this moment (!!!), I'm doing this post with comments and to list some of the people invited a couple of Academy Branches.

On the interesting side of AMPAS list there are 30 individuals that have been invited by multiple branches, but they have to select only one branch upon accepting membership.  Besides having to pay their financial dues, new members will be welcomed into the Academy at invitation-only receptions in the fall - meaning Oscar Season.

But the irreverent perhaps is more juicy as almost all industry magazines today have articles that highlight the "many" TV actors invited to join the Academy.  To be honest, that's what called my attention and made me read the list of actors paying more attention than the usual.  Then the other much abuzz is diversity as the institution tries not to fix the industry but is trying to fix itself by asking younger individuals, more female, increase race diversity, etc. and from my perspective, open to the world of cinema it leads no matter what anyone says and well, the 774 new members will come from 57 countries (if all accept).  By-the-way it is a record as is the first time the organization has extended that many invitations (until 2015 were in the 300 range, 2016 doubled to 600 range).

Then you have the inevitable, those that claim that with these invitations the Academy is lowering its standards.  Seems some believe that to be invited the individual has to do remarkable work as otherwise is not worthy of becoming a member.  Will not comment much, but that's the kind of conversation that should not exist in any organization much less in a cinema-related institution where there is a huge stretch between bad-good and who is the good-credentials one to say which work belongs to which side of the scale.  Sigh.

As finished reading the list do notice that there are lots of women invited, with some branches inviting more women than men (which is notorious but unavoidable as most of its members are male) and yes, there are a lot of American TV actors but all have made movies, many made blockbuster movies, some indies and others studio movies; but no doubt that all have acted in movies and probably are SAG members (lol!).

Seems the youngest individual invited this year is 19-years-old Elle Fanning and the oldest is none other than 95-years-old Betty White (she has been in about 7 films).  Among the individuals honored with an invitation there are three married couples: Anna Faris and Chirs Pratt, Carina Lau and Tony Leung, plus Adele Romanski and James Laxton; a Father and Daughter-In-Law: Amitabh Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan; and two sisters, Debbie Allen and Phylicia Rashad.  Also noticeable are the many Bollywood actors invited, but what it's quite "funny" is the movies they're attached as seems someone was not allowed to list the many (some in the hundreds)  Bollywood movies they are in (lol!).

In case you do not recall, all 2017 Oscar nominees that were not Academy members receive an invitation; so you have to discount from large list, around 96 individuals that got 112 nominations from which 24 individuals went to win 25 Oscars.

There is a crucial fact many seem to be forgetting and is VERY IMPORTANT.  Individuals have to accept the invitation otherwise they will  not be Academy members.  Perhaps the most notorious case this year is Viggo Mortensen who was invited before but declined; still, seems this time he will accept as has been told by some industry reports.

Here are some of the individuals that received an invitation.

Actors (105)
A (3)
Riz Ahmed
Debbie Allen
Elena Anaya
B (6)
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan
Amitabh Bachchan
Monica Bellucci
Gilm Birmingham
Nazanin Boniadi
Daniel Brühl
C (5)
Maggie Cheung
John Cho
Priyanka Chopra
Matt Craven
Terry Crews
D (3)
Warwick Davis
Coman Domingo
Adam Driver
E (3)
Joel Edgerton
Chris Evans
Luke Evans
F (7)
Fan Bingbing
Elle Fanning
Golshifteh Farahani
Anna Faris
Tom Felton
Rebecca Ferguson
Lou Ferrigno
G (10)
Gal Gadot
Charlotte Gainsbourg
Jeff Garlin
Spencer Garrett
Domhnall Gleeson
Sharon Gless
Donald Glover
Judy Greer
Rupert Grint
Noel Gugliemi
H (11)
John Hamm
Arnie Hammer
Naomi Harris
Leila Hatami
Anne Heche
Lucas Hedges
Chris Hemsworth
Ciaran Hinds
Aldis Hodge
Bryce Dallas Howard
Bonnie Hunt
J (3)
Jian Wen
Dwayne Johnson
Leslie Jones
K (6)
Keegan-Michael Key
Aamir Khan
Irrfan Khan
Salman Khan
Rinko Kikuchi
Zoë Kravitz
L (3)
Sanaa Lathan
Carina Lau
Tony Leung
M (7)
Rami Malek
Leslie Mann
Kate Mckinnon
Sienna Miller
Janelle Monáe
Michelle Monaghan
Vigo Mortensen
N (2)
Ruth Negga
Franco Nero
O (1)
Elizabeth Olsen
P (5)
Deepika Padukone
Sarah Paulson
Robert Picardo
Amy Poehler
Chris Pratt
Q (1)
Zachary Quinto
R (4)
Edgar Ramirez
Phylicia Rashad
Margot Robbie
Maya Rudolph
S (12)
Hiroyuki Sanada
Henry G. Sanders
Rodrigo Santoro
Rade Šerbedžija
Nestor Serrano
Amanda Seyfried
Molly Shannon
Ana Deavere Smith
Hailee Steinfeld
Kristen Stewart
Omar Sy
Wanda Sykes
T (4)
Channing Tatum
Aaron Taylor-Johnson
Lauren Tom
Jeanne Tripplehorn
V (1)
Paz Vega
W (7)
Dee Wallace
Ming-Na Wen
Betty White
Rebel Wilson
Mary Elizabeth Winstead
B.D. Wong
Shailene Woodley
Y (1)
Donnie Yen

There is no doubt that the most interesting list belongs to the directors branch as has some outstanding filmmakers that absolutely deserve the honor of belonging to the so-called American Academy but undoubtedly is becoming more and more open to the incredibly good World Cinema. Still, wonder if some of the below directors will accept or decline the invitation as can't imagine them being active in such mundane Oscar duties (lol!).

List includes amazing filmmakers like Vietnam's Tran Anh Hung (remember awesome The Scent of Green Papaya?), Chile's Pablo Trapero and Alejandro Jodorowsky, Mexico's Amat Escalante, Philippines' Brillante Mendoza and Lav Diaz, Greece's Athina Rachel Tsangari, Australia's Cate Shortland and Garth Davis, South Korea's Kim Ki-duk, Portugal's Pedro Costa, France's Emmanuelle Bercot, Germany's Fatih Akin, Austria's Jessica Hausner, Hong Kong's Ann Hui and Johnnie To, Japan's Takashi Miike, Israel's Eran Riklis, Mexico's Arturo Ripstein, Denmark's Martin Zandvliet, Netherlands' Paula van der Oest and more.

Directors (64)
A-E (20)
Fatih Akin
Adolfo Aristarain
David Ayer
Nabil Ayouch
Siddiq Barmak
Aida Begić
Emmanuelle Bercot
Martin Butler
Patricia Cardoso
Peter Ho-Sun Chan
Derek Cianfrance
Pedro Costa
Garth Davis
Bentley Dean
Lav Diaz
Carlos Diegues
Nelson Pereira dos Santos
Nana Dzhordzhadze
Ildikó Enyedi
Amat Escalane
F-L (13)
Safi Faye
Tom Ford
Goutam Ghose
Jessica Hausner
Joanna Hogg
Hannes Holm
Ann Hui
Christine Jeffs
Barry Jenkins
Alejandro Jodorowsky
Kim Ki-duk
Zacharias Kunuk
Mohammed Lakhdar-Hania
M-P (13)
David Mackenzie
Sharon Maguire
Theodore Melfi
Kleber Mendonça Filho
Brillante Mendoza
Marta Meszaros
Takashi Miike
Orlando Montiel
Jocelyn Moorhouse
Kira Muratova
Hector Olivera
Idrissa Ouedraogo
Jordan Peele
R-Z (18)
Mohammad Rasoulof
Eran Riklis
Arturo Ripstein
Guy Ritchie
Antony Russo
Joseph Russo
Mrinal Sen
Cate Shortland
Peter Sollett
Juan Carlos Tabío
Rawson Marshall Thurber
Johnnie To
Tran Ang Hung
Pablo Trapero
Athina Rachel Tsangari
Paula van der Oest
Susanna White
Martin Zandvliet

Worth mentioning are two well-known musicians, lyricist, singers: Justin Timberlake and Lin-Manuel Miranda; but no doubt the most interesting in the Music branch is Justin Hurwitz with his work in La La Land and Whiplash. Last, best news come from the Writers branch as Céline Sciamma has been invited to join them; it's good news but honestly would have even better if she was invited to join the Director's branch.

To read the complete list that includes some of the films each individual is related to go official site here, file is a pdf.

Today at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival Helga Trüpel, Vice-Chair of the Committee on Culture and Education, Martina Dlabajova, Vice-Chair of the Committee on Budgetary Control, Bogdan Wenta, Member of the Committee on Culture and Education and and Doris Pack, Lux Film Prize Coordinator announced the ten (10) films that the selection panel chose to shine a spotlight on the diversity of European cinema and its importance in building social and cultural values.

After last year's successful edition, which market the 10th anniversary of the initiative, the prize continues embracing an unpredictable variety of genres and tones from all over Europe and among the films in the selection we fin three (3) thematic focuses which perfectly mirror what Europe and Europeans are going through at the moment.

First there is a batch of coming-of-age stories, about young characters opening their eyes to what surrounds them in order to understand reality and the societies and communities they belong to, stand out in the official selection.  Then there are those that talk about communities, global communities, by social engaged films that tackle timely topics in both heartfelt and intelligent ways, with touches of genre and even comedy.  Last, movies addresses the current post-truth era that we live in, partly defined by information overload and continuous communication, as well as social and political extremism's, bordering on the absurd. Two of the films are absolutely crucial in portraying this modern socio-political absurdity.

These are the films in the 2017 Selection.  Included -if applicable- festival where film was premiered and if won awards.

120 Battements par minute (BPM 120 Beats Per Minute), Robin Campillo, France (Cannes 2017 - Grand Prix, FIPRESCI, François Chalais, and Queer Palm winner)
A Ciambra, Jonas Carpignano, Italy, Brazil, USA, France, Germany and Sweden (Cannes 2017 - Label Europa Cinemas winner)
Estiu 1993 (Summer 1993), Carla Simón, Spain (Berlinale 2017 - Grand Prix Kplus winner and Best First Feature Award winner)
Hjartasteinn (Heartstone), Guðmundur Arnar Guðmundsson, Iceland and Denmark (Biennale 2016 - Queer Lion winner)
King of the Belgians, Jessica Woodworth and Peter Brosens, Belgium, Netherlands and Bulgaria (Biennale 2016)
Ostatnia rodzina (The Last Family), Jan P Matuszyński, Poland (Locarno 2016 - Best Actor winner)
Sameblod (Sami Blood), Amanda Kernell, Sweden, Denmark and Norway (Biennale 2016 - Label Europa Cinemas winner)
Slava (Glory) Kristina Grozeva and Petar Valchanov, Bulgaria and Greece (Locarno 2016)
Toivon tuolla puolen (The Other Side of Hope), Aki Kaurismäki, Finland and Germany (Berlinale 2017 - Silver Bear Best Director winner)
Western, Valeska Grisebach, Germany, Bulgaria and Austria (Cannes 2017)



 As we can see above, all 10 films premiered at film festivals and out of the 10, eight (8) won awards.  There is no doubt about the quality of the films in the selection and obviously all films are already known to those that read the blog.  My crystal ball gives good chances to that film produced with French money only as believe is the film to beat in the many awards from the European -and perhaps also American- awards season. Alright, the name is BPM.

Worth mentioning is the fact that there are five (5) female directors out of the eleven (11) directors in the selection; also, four (4) films are a first feature.  Then, among the selection there is only one master filmmaker, Aki Kaurismäki which assume is great news to the young generation.

Also today at Karlovy Vary was announced that last year Lux Prize winner Toni Erdmann also won the Audience Mention award voted by audiences across Europe.

From the 10 films in the Official Selection, 3 entries will be selected and announced at the Venice Days press conference in Rome at the end of July 2017 as those taking part in the LUX Film Prize Competition. These films will compete to be the winner of the 2017 LUX Film Prize, and will become the core of the 2017 LUX Film Days.

In order to support the European film industry and help the most significant European productions and co-productions to circulate beyond their national market, the European Parliament LUX Film Prize subtitles the 3 competing films into the 24 official languages of the European Union and screens them in all 28 EU countries during the LUX Film Days. In doing so, the European Parliament supports cultural diversity, as it brings films to audiences across Europe and encourages debate on the issues they raise.

The 2017 LUX Film Prize winner will be awarded on 15 November in Strasbourg. The winning film will also be made available for the visually and hearing-impaired, and promoted by the European Parliament.

The Venice International Film Critics’ Week (SIC) is an independent and parallel section organized by the National Union of Italian Film Critics (SNCCI) during the 74th Venice International Film Festival (30th August – 9th September, 2017).

The program includes a selection of seven (7) debut films in competition and two special events out of competition, all presented in world premiere screenings. The selection is curated by the General Delegate of the Venice Critics’ Week Giona A. Nazzaro together with the members of the selection committee Luigi Abiusi, Alberto Anile, Beatrice Fiorentino and Massimo Tria.

The 2017 official selection includes:

Competition
Il Cratere (Crater), Luca Bellino and Silvia Luzi, Italy
Drift, Helena Wittman, Germany
Les garçons sauvages (The Wild Boys), Bertand Mandico, France
Körfez (The Gulf), Emre Yeksan, Turkey, Germany and Greece
Sarah joue un loup garou (Sarah Plays a Werewolf), Katharina Wyss, Switzerland and Germany
Team Hurricane, Annita Berg, Denmark
Temporada de caza (Hunting Season), Natalia Garagiola, Argentina, USA, Germany, France, Qatar

Special Events Out of Competition
Opening Film: Pin Cushion, Deborah Haywood, UK
Closing Film: Veleno (Poison), Diego Olivares, Italy

The Poster

Comic Books Artist Carmine di Giandomenico Creates the Image for the 32nd Venice International Film Critics' Week



The DC Comics and Marvel Comics illustrator designed a futuristic cinematic muse for the 32nd edition of the independent sidebar dedicated to debut feature films.

An unusual and innovative choice for a sidebar that portrays today’s cinema, and through it, envisages its future, with a selection of debut films. In the cyber-fantasy style image created by Di Giandomenico – one of the few Italian artists who collaborated with two of the most important and active comics publishing houses, Marvel Comics and DC Comics - the muse of cinema glides over the lagoon, reflecting herself in the water, remindful of the past, but projected towards the future. “I wanted to create a feminine figure that would synthesize an idea of cinema that mirrors and filters everyday life turning it into fantasy – explains Di Giandomenico – Cinema as an art that can project narratives, uncovering how reality and dream are two souls that realize they are attracted to each other. Cinema that makes us glide through the present, heading for the future”.

There is one quite big surprise this year as seems organizers retired the section English name to left only the Italian name.  In my opinion is for the best as the English name, Venice Days, had no relation to the Italian name nor what the section is all about; the literal translation from Italian to English is "Days of the Authors" which at least mention something related to this film director's competition.  Well, let's see if soon there is an official press release about the name, if they give an official English translation or they simply go on as nothing happened with the belief nobody notices.  Sigh.

This year, the fourteenth edition of the Giornate degli Autori is devoted to seeking out originality and diversity. Not to astonish, or provoke by riding the wave of easy titles, but to share the delight of discovery. Of celebrating difference. Of finding the ones who march to the beat of a different drummer.

The Giornate's General Delegate, Giorgio Gosetti, has this to say: "Our experience of viewing the films, which we shared this year with a group of programmers and experts whom we truly cannot thank enough, has taught us that there is an abundance of films out there that are very well made and thoroughly professional, but all too often fail to strike a chord with audiences. Surprise them. The fact that we select a handful of titles from all over the world allows us the privilege - and the challenge - of placing our bets on each filmmaker and each work as if it were unique, and all the more precious for that reason. We don't aspire to offering solely masterpieces in our official selection and special events; we do want audiences to be able to say after each viewing, Well, it was well worth it, flying on the wings of this story. I'm glad I've made this filmmaker's acquaintance."

The Giornate degli Autori has always been much more than just a showcase of films yet to be released. "Ever since our debut," recalls Giornate President Roberto Barzanti, "we have stayed true to the mandate handed us by the film associations promoting us, now ANAC and 100autori. The essence of our event lies in the art of bringing people together, comparing notes, sparking discussions and experimentation. And our Villa degli Autori does just that. It's hosting a packed program of events again this year, thanks in large part to long-standing projects like 28 Times Cinema, promoted by the European Parliament's LUX Film Prize; Women's Tales, the film showcase we share with Miu Miu, and its conversations with filmmakers; and our ongoing investigation into the diverse transformations of the film medium in the digital age."

A look at the lineup for our 2017 official selection reveals a well-deserved attention to Italian films, at a vibrant and courageous time in the industry; as well as important new works by Giornate alumni such as China's Pengfei, Morocco's Faouzi Bensaïdi, Italy's Vincenzo Marra, Matteo Botrugno and Daniele Coluccini; not to mention hotly-awaited titles by Canada's Kim Nguyen, Iran's Shirin Neshat, and Thailand's Pen-ek Ratanaruang.

We think it all makes for eleven days of great film and great film personalities, too, talks with the public and entertainment. 

Official Selection

Candelaria, Jhonny Hendrix Hinestroza, Colombia, Germany, Norway and Argentina
Dove cadono le ombre (Where the Shadows Fall), Valentina Pedicini, Italy
Eye on Juliet, Kim Nguyen, Canada
געגוע Ga'agua (Longing), Savi Gabizon, Israel
Il Contagio (The Contagion), Matteo Botrugno and Daniele Coluccini, Italy
L'equilibrio, Vincenzo Marra, Italy
Life Guidance, Ruth Mader, Austria
Looking for Oum Kulthum, Shirin Neshat, Germany, Austria, Italy and Morocco
M, Sara Forestier, France
Mai Mee Samui Samrab Ter (Samui Song), Pen-ek Ratanaruang, Thailand, Germany and Norway
Mi Hua Zhi Wei (The Taste of Rice Flower), Pengfei, China
Volubilis, Faouzi Bensaïdi, Morocco and France

Jury
President: Samira Makhmalbaf, actress and director, Iran

Special Events
Agnelli, Nick Hooker, USA (documentary)
Getting Naked: A Burlesque Story, James Lester, USA (documentary)
Il tentato suicidio nell'adolescenza (T.S. Giovanile), Ermanno Olmi, Italy, 1968 (documentary)
La legge del numero uno, Alessandro D'Alari, Italy (documentary)
Il Risoluto (The Resolute), Giovanni Donfrancesco, Italy and France (documentary)
Thrist Street, Nathan Silver, USA and France

Special Screenigs
I'm (Endless Like the Space), Anne-Riitta Ciccone, Italy
Raccontare Venezia, Wilma Labate
The Millionairs, Claudio Santamaria, Italy, 14'

Miu Miu Women's Tales
#13 Carmen, Chloë Sevigny, USA, 8'
#14 (The [End) of History Illusion], Celia Rowinson-Hall, USA, 13'

Lux Prize Finalists
120 battements par minute (Beats per Minute), Robin Campillo, France
Sameblod (Sami Blood), Amanda Kernell, Sweden, Denmark and Norway
Western, Valeska Grisebach, Germany, Bulgaria and Austria

To read about each film at official site go here. 

From the competition there are some films that seem interesting but not many well-known directors are competing which I believe is good as gives opportunities to new generations.  Most interested with Kim Nguyen latest opus but can't deny my surprise when he ended in Venice and in this section; still, of course will watch.

The complete line-up of the 2017 Biennale was announced during a press conference that took place on Thursday, July 27th in Rome.  The conference was streamed live and to my delight was able to watch the end with the live announcement of the 21 films in the main competition.

Believe must of us were expecting a very strong lineup as already knew the films that didn't make it to the other two main competitive festivals and well, the lineup is great but is not as strong as I was hoping for.  Still will not deny that I'm very pleased to find in the competition the latest films by Aronofsky and Kechiche.  Talking about Kechiche, his film is the first installment in a diptych -that could become triptych- based on Francois Bégaudeau’s book La blessure, la vraie, a saga centering around a screenwriter who returns to his hometown.

Another film that could be interesting is the debut film by Xavier Legrand as he's the director of the 2013 short film that went on to collect an Oscar nomination.  I loved Lebanon and now Samuel Maoz is in competition with Foxtrot which becomes must-be-seen for me.

Most unexpected is to find Lucrecia Martel's Zuma and Anne Fontaine's Marvin not in competition but relegated to Out of Competition the first and the Orizzonti section -the second-.  Really wonder how some American movies in competition could be "better" than films by Martel or Fontaine; so, there was room in the competition, just take 2 films and voila! two extraordinary female filmmakers would have been in the competition that -by the way- has only one female director.  Sigh.

On the not-so-good side, there are too many American films for my taste but know the festival is trying to be the harbinger to the Oscars and seems that last year its effort were successful as not only the festival opening film "almost" won the top Oscar (LOL) but also there were other films with nominations.

No doubt that the best news for many non-cinephiles is Jennifer Lawrence attending the festival, which obviously will give fest lots and lots of social media buzz and press coverage. Yes, I'm please with her doing all the crazy antics she does.

The festival will run from August 30 to September 9 and will update post with additions as soon as they're announced, if applicable.  Was waiting for the official press release but seems this year organizers will take their time releasing more data about the festival.  As of this moment, Saturday,  July 29th, the post is updated with all films in all sections, including the ones that have been added yesterday; so, maybe, no more updates will come, but will be checking constantly.

There are twenty-one (21) films in the competition, seven (7) are USA productions or co productions which makes it the leading country, followed by  France with 6, Italy 5, UK and Germany with 2 each, Australia, Japan, Switzerland, Lebanon and Israel with 1 each.

Have finished reading/learning about each of the 21 films in competition and from the ones I knew nothing, the biggest surprise undoubtedly is Guillermo del Toro's movie as from trailer seems will be quite entertaining while being dramatic, yes, has become must-be-seen for me.  From the little info available for some films is not easy to guess if any will qualify for the Queer Lion, which is unusual as always there is something in synopsis that gives it away.   Maybe Queer Lion contenders will come from other sections but soon enough we will learn the lineup.

Venezia 74 Competition
International competition of feature films, presented as world premieres

Opening Film:Downsizing, Alexander Payne, USA
Ammore e Malavita, Manetti Brothers, Italy
Ex Libris.  The New York Public Library, Frederick Wiseman, USA (documentary)
First Reformed, Paul Schrader, USA
Foxtrot, Samuel Maoz, Israel, Germany, France and Switzerland
Hannah, Andrea Pallaoro, Italy, Belgium and France
Human Flow, Ai Weiwei, Germany and USA (documentary)
嘉年華 Jia nian hua (Angels Wear White), Vivian Qu, China and France
Jusqu'à la garde, Xavier Legrand, France
La Villa (The House by the Sea), Robert Guédiguian, France
L'Insulte (The Insult), Ziad Doueiri, France and Lebanon
Lean on Pete, Andrew Haigh, UK
Mektoub, My Love: Canto Uno, Abdellatif Kechiche, France and Italy
mother!, Daren Aronofsky, USA
三度目の殺人 Sandome no Satsujin (The Third Murder), Koreeda Hirokazu, Japan
Suburbicon, George Clooney, USA
Sweet Country, Warwick Thornton, Australia
The Leisure Seeker, Paolo Virzì, Italy
The Shape of Water, Guillermo del Toro, USA
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, Martin McDonagh, UK
Una Famiglia, Sebastiano Riso, Italy

Jury
President: Annette Bening, actress, USA
Ildikó Enyedi, director and screenwriter, Hungary
Michel Franco, director, producer and screenwriter, Mexico
Rebecca Hall, actress, UK
Anna Mouglalis, actress, France
David Stratton, film critic, UK and Australia
Jasmine Trinca, actress, Italy
Edgar Wright, director and screenwriter, UK
Yonfan, director, producer and screenwriter



Out of Competition
Important works by directors already established in previous editions of the Festival

Feature Films
アウトレイジ 最終章 Autoreiji Saishusho (Outrage Coda), Takeshi Kitano, Japan
Brawl in Cell Block 99, S. Craig Zahler, USA
Il Colore Nascosto delle Cose, Silvio Soldini, Italy and Switzerland
La mélodie, Rachid Hami, France
Le Fidèle (Racer and the Jailbird), Michaël R. Roskam, Belgium, France and Netherlands
Loving Pablo, Fernando León de Aranoa, Spain and Bulgaria
Our Souls at Night, Ritesh Batra, USA
The Private Life of a Modern Woman, James Toback, USA
Victoria & Abdul, Stephen Frears, UK
Zama, Lucercia Martel, Argentina and Brazil

Documentaries
Cuba and the Cameraman, Jon Alpert, USA
Diva!, Francesco Patierno, Italy 
Happy Winter, Giovanni Totaro, Italy
Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond. The Story of Jim Carrey, Andy Kaufman and Tony Clifton, Chris Smith, USA and Canada
My Generation, David Batty, UK
Piazza Vittorio, Abel Ferrara, Italy
Ryuichi Sakamoto: Coda, Stephen Nomura Schible, USA
The Devil and Father Amorth, William Friedkin, USA 
This is Congo, Daniel McCabe, Congo

TV Series
Wormwood, Errol Morris, USA (6 episodes)

Special Events
Casa d'Altri, Gianni Amelio, Italy, 16'
Il Signor Rotpeter, Antonietta de Lillo, Italy, 37'
Making of Michael Jackson's Thriller, Jerry Kramer, USA, 45'
Michael Jackson's Thriller 3D, John Landis, USA, 14'



Orizzonti
A competition dedicated to films that represent the latest aesthetic and expressive trends in international cinema.

Feature Films
بدون تاریخ بدون امضاء Bedoune Tarikh, Bedoune Emza (No Date, No Signature), Vahid Jalilvand, Iran
Brutti e Cattivi (Ugly Nasty People), Cosimo Gomez, Italy and France
Caniba, Lucien Castaing-Taylor and Verena Paravel, France
Espèces menacées, Gilles Bourdos, France and Belgium
Gatta Cenerentola, Alessandro Rak, Ivan Cappiello, Marion Guarnieri and Dario Sansone,  Italy (animation)
Ha Ben Dod (The Cousin), Tzahi Grad, Israel
Ha'Edut (The Testament), Amichai Greenberg, Israel and Austria
Invisible, Pablo Giorgelli, Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Germany
Krieg, Rick Ostermann, Germany
La Nuit ou J'ai Nage (The Night I Swam), Damien Manivel and Igarashi Kohei, France and Japan'
La Vita in Comune, Edoardo Winspeare, Italy
Les Bienheureux, Sofia Djama, France and Belgium
Los Versos del Olvido, Alireza Khatami, France, Germany, Netherlands and Chile
Marvin, Anne Fontaine, France
الإختفاء Napadid Shodan (Disappearance), Ali Asgari, Iran and Qatar
Nico, 1988, Susanna Nicchiarelli, Italy and Belgium
The Rape of Recy Taylor, Nancy Buirski, USA
Undir trénu(Under the Tree), Hafsteinn Gunnar Sigurðsson, Iceland, Denmark, Poland and Germany
West of Sunshine, Jason Raftopoulos, Australia

Short Films
8th Continent, Pavlos Iordanopoulos, Greece, 11'
Apia, Myrsini Aristidou, Cyprus and France, 13'
Astrometal, Efthimis Kosemund Sanidis, Greece, 15'
Awasarn Sound Man (Death of the Sound Man), Sorayos Prapapan, Thailand and Myanmar, 16'
By The Pool, Laurynas Bareiša, Lithuania, 16'
Gros Chagrin, Céline Devaux, France, 15' (animation)
Himinn Opinn, Gabriel Sanson and Clyde Gates, Belgium, 19'
Lagi Senang Jaga Sekandang Lembu (It's Easier to Raise Cattle), Amanda Nell Eu, Malaysia, 18'
L'Ombra della Sposa, Alessandra Pescetta, Italy, 11'
Meninas Formicida, João Paulo Miranda Maria, France and Brasil, 12'
Mon Amour, Mon Ami, Adriano Valerio, Italy, 15'
The Knife Salesman, Michael Leonard and Jamie Helmer, Australia, 10' 
Tierra Mojada, Juan Sebastián Mesa Bedoya, Colombia, 17'

Out of Competition Short Films
Futuro Prossimo, Salvatore Mereu, Italy, 18'

Jury
President: Gianni Amelio, director, Italy
Rakhshan Banietemad, director, Iran
Ami Canaan Mann, director, USA
Mark Cousins, director, screenwriter and curator, Ireland
Andrés Duprat, screenwriter and artistic curator, Argentina
Fien Troch, director and screenwriter, Belgium
Rebecca Zlotowski, director and screenwriter, France

Luigi De Laurentis for a Debut Film - Lion of the Future Jury
President: Benoît Jacquot, director and screenwriter, France
Geoff Andrew, author and film programmer, UK
Albert Lee, producer, Hong Kong
Greta Scarano, actress, Italy
Yorgos Zois, director, Greece

Venice Virtual Reality
Competitive section of VR films, with a section of out-of-competition VR films

Alice, The Virtual Reality Play, Mathias Chelebourg, France, 20'
Arden's Wake Expanded, Eugene Yk Chung, USA, 16'
Chuang (In The Pictures), Qing Shao, China, 5' (animation)
Dispatch, Edward Robles, USA and UK, 6'
Dongducheon (Bloodless), Gina Kim, South Korea and USA, 12'
Draw Me Close, Jordan Tannahill, Canada and UK, 15'
Free Whale, Zhang Peibin, China, 7' (animation)
Gomorra VR. We Own the Streets, Enrico Rosati, Italia, 14'
Greenland Melting, Nonny de la Peña, USA, 11'
Hver Sin Stilhed (Separate Silences), Denmark, 17'
I Saw The Future, François Vautier, France, 5'
Jia Zai Lanre Si (The Deserted), Tsai Ming-Liang, Taiwan, 55'
La Camera Insabbiata, Laurie Anderson and Huang Hsin-Chien, USA, 20' (animation)
Melita, Nicolás Alcalá, USA, 24'
My Name is Peter Stillman, Lysander Ashton and Leo Warner, UK, 6' (animation)
Nefertiti, Richard Mills and Kim-Leigh Pontin, UK, 15' (animation)
Nothing Happens, Uri Kranot and Michelle Kranot, Denmark and France, 14' (animation)
Proxima, Mathieu Pradat, France, 9'
Shi Meng Lao Ren (The Dream Collector), Mi Li, China, 11' (animation)
Snatch VR Heist Experience, Rafael Pavón and Nicolás Alcalá, USA, 5'
The Argos File, Josema Roig, USA, 4'
The Last Goodbye, Gabo Adora, USA, 20'

Out of Competition
Alteration, Jérôme Blanquet, France, 16'
Chromatica, Flavio Costa, Italy, 17'
Dear Angelica, Saschka Unseld, USA, 13' (animation)
Denoise (Beautiful Things), Giorgio Ferrero, Italy, 12'
Mule, Guy Shemerdine, USA, 6'
Miyubi, Félix Lajeunesse and Paul Raphaël, Canada, 40'
Naive New Beaters "Heal Tomorrow", Romain Chassaing, UK, 4'
On/Off, Camille Duvelleroy and Isabelle Foucrier, France, 10'
Sens. Part 1, Charles Ayats and Marc-Antoine Mathieu, France, 16'

Jury
John Landis, director, USA
Céline Sciamma, director and screenwriter, France
Ricky Tognazzi, director and actor, Italy

Venezia Classici
A selection of restored classic films and documentaries on cinema.  Outstanding selection with films by Antonioni, Bertolucci, Chabrol, Godard, Forman, Ozu, Mizoguchi and many more.  Check films at official site here.

Jury of Cinema History Students
Chair: Giuseppe Piccioni, director, Italy

Cinema nel Giardino
Films, talks and visions with interesting films and one TV series from Italy.  Check all films here.

Videos

8/5/17 Update - As expected, Switzerland became the first country to enter the Oscar race as film was announced yesterday at Locarno fest.

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8/3/17
Today is a good day to start my most favorite post of the year, the one about the films countries send to Oscars for their consideration.  Will start with some general news but in a few days we will learn the first film as since last year Switzerland announces its submission during the Locarno Film Festival, which started just yesterday.

As did last year, will link sources at my Pinterest; sources are in the original language so my best suggestion is to use Chrome for auto-translation.

Submission to AMPAS deadline is October 2, 2017 @5:00pm PT. Female directors are in Blue.

Switzerland: Die göttliche Ordnung (The Divine Order), Petra Volpe

Check info and available trailers @MOC
Check film posters here

News

-Chile: submission deadline is August 4.
-Georgia: submission deadline is August 11.
-Germany: selection announcement on August 24.
-Ghana: for the first time ever has a selection committee approved by AMPAS. Could send film if all cinema parties agree. Submission deadline is August 20.
-India: submission deadline is September 10.
-Ireland: deadline closed end of July (?).
-Italy: submission deadline is September 14.
-Kenya: submission deadline is August 16.
-Kosovo: submission deadline is September 10.
-Laos: for first time ever has a selection committee approved by AMPAS. Selection will be announced on September.
-Mexico: submission deadline is August 18.
-Netherlands: submission deadline closed on July 1st.  Seven (7) films registered, selection will be done early September.
-Pakistan: submission deadline is August 20.
-UAE: First ever selection committee approved by AMPAS. 
-Ukraine: submission deadline is August 15.  Selection will be announced on August 29.

Will update daily if applicable, but will search daily for more info.

Yesterday the European Film Academy released the documentary selection for the current edition of the annual awards.

The selection has fifteen (15) documentaries recommended for a nomination with ten (10) being recommended by documentary festivals chosen in co-operation with the European Documentary Network (EDN), these festivals are:

-IDFA (Netherlands)
-CPH:DOX (Denmark)
-Visions du Réel (Switzerland)
-DokLeipzig (Germany)
-Docslisboa (Portugal)
-Thessaloniki Documentary Film Festival (Greece)
-Jihlava (Czech Republic)
-Cinéma du Réel (France)
-Krakow Film Festival (Poland)
-Sheffield Doc/Fest (UK)

Based on their recommendations and the films individually submitted, the documentary committee, consisting of EFA Board Members Roberto Cicutto (Italy), Vanessa Henneman (Netherlands) and Marek Rozenbaum (Israel), commissioning editor Sari Volanen (YLE, Finland) and documentary expert Paul Pauwels (European Documentary Network, Belgium) decided on the EFA Documentary Selection.

The following is the EFA Documentary Selection 2017

Austerlitz, Sergei Loznitsa, Germany
Das grüne Gold (Dead Donkeys Fear No Hyenas), Joakim Demmer, Sweden, Germany and Finland
How To Meet A Mermaid, Coco Schrijber, Netherlands and Denmark
Hyvä postimies (The Good Postman), Tonislav Hristov, Finland and Bulgary
In Loco Parentis (School Life), Neasa Ní Chianáin and David Rane, Ireland and Spain
Komunia (Communion), Anna Zamecka, Poland
La Chana, Lucija Stojevic, Spain, Iceland and USA
Le vénérable W. (The Venerable W), Barbet Schroeder, France and Switzerland
Liberami (Libera Nos), Federica Di Giacomo, Italy and France
Nothingwood, Sonia Kronlund, France and Germany
Stranger in Paradise, Guido Hendrikx, Netherllands
Taste of Cement, Ziad Kalthoum, Germany, Lebanon, Syria, UAE, and Qatar
The War Show, Andreas Dalsgaard and Obaidah Zytoon, Denmark, Syria and Finland
Ultra, Balázs Simonyi, Hungary and Greece
West of the Jordan River (Field Diary Revisited), Amos Gitaï, Israel and France



EFA Members will now vote for five documentary nominations which will be announced, along all other categories nominations, on November 5 at the Seville European Film Festival. Based on these nominations, the EFA Members will then elect the European Documentary 2017 which will be announced during the awards ceremony on 9 December in Berlin.

To check posters from the 15 docs in the selection go to my Pinterest here.

There are some documentaries that besides seeming interesting, come with great credentials as were premiered at Cannes and are directed by outstanding filmmakers; as an example of films quality, think about films by Sergei Loznitza, Amos Gitaï and Barbet Schroeder.  Also remarkable is finding female directors in the selection, even do proportion is always too-low.

Most festival documentaries were already known to me, but the greatest discovery is a doc that seems to have great visuals and a compelling (bit disturbing) story presented perhaps in the most easy-to-watch way -to ease subject matter sensibilities-.  Talking about How to Meet a Mermaid which has become must be seen for me.

Austerlitz by Sergei Loznitsa
Premiered at 2016 Venice Film fest.
Synopsis:There are places in Europe that have remained as painful memories of the past - factories where humans were turned into ash. These places are now memorial sites that are open to the public and receive thousands of tourists every year. The film's title refers to the eponymous novel written by W.G. Sebald, dedicated to the memory of Holocaust. This film is an observation of the visitors to a memorial site that has been founded on the territory of a former concentration camp. Why do they go there? What are they looking for?

Trailer



Das grüne Gold (Dead Donkeys Fear No Hyenas) by Joakim Demmer
Synopsis: Farmland - the new green gold. Hoping for export revenues, Ethiopia's government leases millions of hectares of farmland to foreign investors. But the dream of prosperity has a dark side where the World Bank plays a very questionable role... Dead Donkeys Fear No Hyenas investigates land grabbing and its impact on people's lives. Pursuing the truth, we meet investors, development bureaucrats, persecuted journalists, struggling environmentalists and evicted farmers deprived of their land.

Trailer



How To Meet A Mermaid by Coco Schrijber
Synopsis: Lex Schrijber went on a diving trip to Egypt in October 2000, but he never returned. His shoes, clothes and diver’s knife were found – stacked neatly – on a Red Sea beach. A diver never dives without his knife, and this fact alone was proof enough to filmmaker Coco Schrijber that her brother had made a fateful decision that day. Fifteen years later, she returns to the place where Lex was last seen, to find out why he disappeared and whether there were witnesses to his final hours. As in her previous work (including First Kill and Bloody Mondays & Strawberry Pies), Schrijber takes a multilayered, essay-like approach complemented by a lavish soundtrack, with the sea both alluring and repelling. Scenes of her search are juxtaposed with gorgeous seascapes that capture both the beauty and the destructive power of the ocean. She broadens the narrative from the personal perspective on Lex’s story by connecting it with the tales of Mexican surfer Miguel as he prepares his flight across the ocean, and the tragedy surrounding Rebecca, who disappeared from a cruise ship.

Trailer



Hyvä postimies (The Good Postman) by Tonislav Hristov
2017 Sundance films fest
Synopsis: In an almost deserted Bulgarian village on the border with Turkey, known for centuries as “The Great Gate,” there are only 38 voters left. Among the candidates running for mayor is Ivan the postman. He has come up with an unconventional and generous-minded plan to breathe new life into his village. Since the times of the Roman and Ottoman Empires, refugees have been entering Europe through this “gate.” So why not offer the passing Syrian refugees a home and a new beginning in the empty village? Ivan’s main rival is against the idea, and it’s not entirely clear what the incumbent mayor thinks. The film follows the three candidates’ campaigns as they attempt to appeal to their elderly electorate. In this tragicomic portrait of a sleepy village that suddenly finds itself at the center of current affairs, we see how the villagers’ fears and worries compete with their hope and compassion.

Trailer



In Loco Parentis (School Life) by Neasa Ní Chianáin and David Rane
Premiered at 2017 Sundance film fest.
Synopsis: A year in the life of two passionate and inspiring teachers (one of music, Latin and math, the other of literature) working at the only boarding school in Ireland for children ages 7 to 12. Headfort School, a huge building set in idyllic surroundings, is their life. John and Amanda Leyden met there in their twenties, married and have since lived their lives on the school grounds. The current headmaster, a passionate and progressive teacher himself, is a former student of John’s. In addition to teaching, John and Amanda serve as mentors, inspirations and surrogate parents for the children. Their workdays are long and they are both getting on in years, so the couple starts making cautious preparations for the end of their tenure at Headfort. But will they be able to live without the school? Filmmakers Neasa Ní Chianáin and David Rane follow the goings-on in the school in fly-on-the-wall style, to poignant, unpredictable and surprising effect.

Trailer



Komunia (Communion) by Anna Zamecka
Synopsis: When adults are ineffectual, children have to grow up quickly. Ola is 14 and she takes care of her dysfunctional father, autistic brother and a mother who lives separately; but most of all she tries to reunite the family. She lives in the hope of bringing her mother back home. Her 13 year old brother Nikodem’s Holy Communion is a pretext for the family to meet up. Ola is entirely responsible for preparing the perfect family celebration. "Communion" reveals the beauty of the rejected, the strength of the weak and the need for change when change seems impossible. This crash course in growing up teaches us that no failure is final. Especially when love is in question.

Trailer



La Chana by Lucija Stojevic
Synopsis: La Chana was one of the greatest stars in the flamenco world, captivating audiences worldwide with her innovative style and breathtaking use of rhythm in the 1960s and 1970s. Peter Sellers, with whom she features in The Bobo (1967), invited her to Hollywood. Instead, at the peak of her career, she disappeared from the scene.
LA CHANA brings us close to the heart and mid of La Chana, the self-taught Gypsy dancer, Antonia Santiago Amador, as she returns to the stage to give a final seated performance after a break of two decades. Along the way, La Chana reveals the secret behind her disappearance: for 18 years she was the victim of domestic abuse at the hands of her first husband.
In this dramatic story about the process and power of creativity, about aging, perseverance and re-invention, La Chana crystallizes the inevitable clashes between her life’s extremes and contradictions; between the artist on stage and the woman behind the scenes.

Trailer



Le vénérable W. (The Venerable W) by Barbet Schroeder
Premiered at 2017 Cannes.
Synopsis: In Burma, the “Venerable Wirathu” is a highly respected and influential Buddhist monk. Meeting him amounts to traveling to the heart of everyday racism and observing how Islamophobia and hate speech lead to violence and destruction. Yet this is a country in which 90% of the population has adopted Buddhism as a faith: a religion based on a peaceful, tolerant and non-violent way of life.

Trailer



Liberami (Libera Nos) by Federica Di Giacomo
Premiered at 2016 Venice Film fest, winner of Orizzonti Best Film. (aka Deliver Us)
Synopsis: Every year, in Italy, in Europe and in the world, a higher and higher number of people affirms to feel possessed by Satan. The Catholic Church responds to this emergency training more and more exorcist priests. The veteran Father Cataldo is one of them. Gloria, Enrico, Anna and Giulia follow, Father Cataldo’s mass and look for a cure to their disease, for which they’re not able to find labels nor answers. To what extent is each of us, believer or not, ready to push himself to show other people a discomfort, an illness? And even it actually was Satan, what are we ready to suffer, to be “delivered from evil” here and now? LIBERA NOS is the story about the practice of exorcism and people’s issues of everyday life: the contrasts between ancient traditions and modern habits, between sacred and profane, meet in this astonishing documentary and reveal themselves disturbing and hilarious at the same time.

Trailer



Nothingwood by Sonia Kronlund
Premiered at 2017 Cannes Quinzaine.
Synopsis: A hundred kilometers from Kabul, Salim Shaheen, a famous Afghan actor, director, and producer, has come to screen some of his 110 films and shoot the 111th. This trip, on which he has brought along his troupe of actors, each more eccentric and uncontrollable than the next, offers an opportunity to get to know this cinephile, who produces an endless stream of Z-grade movies in a country that has been at war for more than 30 years.

Trailer



Stranger in Paradise by Guido Hendrikx
Synopsis: In a classroom newly arrived refugees learn a lesson about multifaceted Europe. Operating at the intersection of fiction and documentary, Stranger in Paradise reflects on the power relations between Europeans and refugees in a candid fashion.

"If Lars Von Trier were to make a documentary about the current immigration crisis in Europe, it might very well turn out like Stranger in Paradise, the debut feature by Guido Hendrikx." Variety

Trailer



Taste of Cement by Ziad Kalthoum
Synopsis: A portrait of workers in exile. An empathetic encounter with people who have lost their past and their future, locked in the recurring present. Ziad Kalthoum creates an essay documentary of Syrian construction workers building new skyscrapers in Beirut on the ruins caused by the Lebanese civil war. At the same time their own houses are being bombed in Syria. A Curfew prohibits them from leaving the construction site after work. Every night in their pit below the skyscraper the news from their homeland and the memories of the war chase them. Mute and imprisoned in the cement underground, they must endure until the new day arrives where the hammering and welding drowns out their nightmares.

Trailer



The War Show by Andreas Dalsgaard and Obaidah Zytoon
Premiered at 2016 Venice Film fest, winner of Fedeora Award Best Film at Venice Days
Synopsis: In March 2011, radio host Obaidah Zytoon and friends join the street protests against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Knowing the Arab Spring will forever change their country, this group of artists and activists begin filming their lives and the events around them. But as the regime’s violent response spirals the country into a bloody civil war, their hopes for a better future will be tested by violence, imprisonment and death. A deeply personal road movie, The War Show captures the fate of Syria through the intimate lens of a small circle of friends.

Trailer



Ultra, Balázs Simonyi
Synopsis: Held since 1983, the Spartathlon is a 246-km ultramarathon race following the identical route taken by an Athenian messenger sent to Sparta in 490 BC during the first Greco-Persian Wars, just before the Battle of Marathon opposing Athens and the Persians. Per Herodotus’ version, he left at dawn and managed to arrive at his destination before nightfall the following day; but it was in vain, the Spartans having refused their help. It is this exploit that the “marathoners” are attempting to reproduce, as they set off at the end of summer each year from the foot of the Acropolis to reach Sparta in 36 hours, which means an average speed of 7 kmph. Balazs Simonyi followed four of them, men and women, including himself, as he too participates in the race. Although Ultra respects the chronology of the long-distance run, the camera ventures into its side-lines, and films the athletes’ friends and family for whom the experience is also intense. The Spartathlon consequently resembles an individual and/or family psychodrama, in which the fact of “surpassing oneself” means physically testing the absurdity of our human condition.

Trailer



West of the Jordan River (Field Diary Revisited), Amos Gitaï,
Premiered at 2017 Cannes.
Synopsis:Amos Gitai returns to the occupied territories for the first time since his documentary Journal de campagne (1982). Gitai travels through the West Bank, where he witnesses the efforts of Israeli and Palestinian citizens to attempt to overcome the consequences of an occupation that has lasted for fifty years.

Trailer

A few days back the European Film Academy announced the Film Selection for the current edition of this European film award.  The list with fifty-one (51) films features fiction films recommended for a nomination for the 2017 EFA awards and has 31 European countries represented plus no doubt that once again illustrates the great diversity in European cinema.

In the 20 countries with the most EFA Members, these members have voted one national film directly into the selection list. To complete the list, a Selection Committee consisting of the EFA Board and invited experts Péter Bognár (Hungary), Dave Calhoun (UK), Giorgio Gosetti (Italy), Christophe Leparc (France), Jacob Neiendam (Denmark) and Alik Shpilyuk (Ukraine) has included further films.

In the coming weeks, the over 3,000 members of the European Film Academy will vote for the nominations in the categories European Film, Director, Actor, Actress and Screenwriter. The nominations will then be announced on 4 November at the Seville European Film Festival in Spain. A seven-member jury will decide on the awards recipients in the categories European Cinematographer, Editor, Production Designer, Costume Designer, Hair & Make-up Artist, Composer and Sound Designer.

The 30th European Film Awards with the presentation of the winners will take place on 9 December in Berlin.

2017 Film Selection

A Ciambra, Jonas Carpignano, Italy, USA, France and Sweden
A Date for Mad Mary, Darren Thornton, Ireland
A Fabrica de Nada (The Nothing Factory), Pedro Pinho, Portugal
A Monster Calls, J.A. Bayona, Spain
Ana Mon Amour, Calin-Peter Netzer, Romania, Germany and France

Baba Z Ledu (Ice Mother), Bohdan Slama, Czech Republic, Slovakia and France
BPM (Beats Per Minute), Robin Campillo, France
Bezbog (Godless), Ralitza Petrova, Bulgaria, Denmark and France
Brimstone, Martin Koolhoven, Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, France, Sweden, UK and Hungary
Du Vorsvinder (You Disappear), Peter Schonau Fpg. Denmark and Sweden

Estiu 1993 (Summer 1993), Carla Simon, Spain
Fortunata, Sergio Castellitto, Italy
Frantz, Francois Ozon, France and Germany
Frost, Sharunas Bartas, Lithuania, France, Poland and Ukraine
Happy End, Michael Haneke, France, Germany and Austria

Hjartasteinn (Heartstone), Guðmundur Arnar Guðmundsson, Iceland and Denmark
Home, Fien Troch, Belgium
In Zeiten des abnehmenden Lichts (In Times of Fading LIght), Matti Geschonneck, Germany
Indivisibili (Indivisible), Edoardo De Angelis, Italy
Insyriated, Philippe Van Leeuw, Belgium and France

Istambul Kirmizisi (Istambul Red),  Ferzan Ozpetek, Turkey and Italy
Jupiter Holdja (Jupiter's Moon), Kornel Mondruczo, Hungary and Germany
Koca Dunya (Big Big World), Reha Erdem
Kongens Nei (The King's Choice), Erik Poppe, Norway Denmark, Sweden and Ireland
Krotkaya (A Gentle Creature), Sergei Loznitsa, France, Germany, Lithuania and Netherlands

Lady Macbeth, William Oldroyd, UK
Layla M., Mijke de Jong, Netherlands, Jordan, Belgium and Germany
Moya Babusya Fani Kaplan (My Grandmother Fanny Kaplan), Olena Demyanenko, Ukraine
Nelyubov (Loveless), Andrey Zvyagintsev, Russia, Belgium, Germany and France
O Gios tis Sofias (Son of Sofia), Elina Psykou, Greece, Bulgaria and France

Ostatnia Rodzina (The Last Family), Jan P. Matuszynski, Poland
Pokot (Spoor), Agnieszka Holland and Katarzyna Adamik, Poland, Germany, Czech Republic, Sweden and Slovakia
Powidoki (Afterimage), Andrzej Wajda, Poland
Rai (Paradise), Andrei Konchalovsky, Russia and Germany
Rekvijem za gospodu J. (Requiem for Mrs. J.), Bojan Vuletic, Serbia, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Russia and France

Return to Montauk, Volker Schlondorff, Germany, France and Ireland
Sameblod (Sami Blood), Amanda Kernell, Sweden, Denmark and Norway
Tarde para la Ira (The Fury of a Patient Man), Raul Arevalo, Spain
Testrol Es Lelekrol (On Baody and Soul), Ildiko Enyedi, Hungary
The Killing of a Sacree Deer, Yorgos Lanthimos, Ireland and UK

The Party, Sally Potter, UK
The Square, Ruben Ostlund, Sweden, Germany, France and Denmark
Toivon tuolla puolen (The Other Side of Hope), Aki Kaurismaki, Finland and Germany
Tom of Finland, Dome Krukoski, Finland, Germany, Sweden and Denmark
Un Beau Soleil Interieur (Bright Sunshine In), Claire Denis, France

Un Juif Pour L'exemple (A Jew Must Die), Jacob Berger, Switzerland
Ustav Republike Hrvatske (The Constitution), Rajko Grlic, Croatia, Slovenia, Czech Republic and Macedonia
Ucitel'ka (The Teacher), Jan Hrebejk, Slovakia and Czech Republic
Vor der Morgenrote (Stefan Zweig-Farewell to Europe), Maria Schrader, Germany, Austria and France
Western, Valeska Grisebach, Germany, Bulgaria and Austria

Wilde Maus (Wild Mouse), Josef Hader, Austria

Every year, the EFA People’s Choice Award allows film fans across Europe to elect their favourite film. When the European Film Academy invites its members, Europe’s greatest film stars, directors, actors and actresses, to attend the European Film Awards, the People’s Choice Award sheds a spotlight on the people films are made for: the audience. This year’s vote has started – vote now and win the chance to join winners and nominees for the awards ceremony in Berlin!

Film fans can cast their vote on the official site HERE and win a trip to the 30th European Film Awards in Berlin.

Strongly suggest you vote and bet you'll have as much trouble as me as there are more than three films that absolutely deserve to win and choosing among them is difficult.  Alright my decision goes between Kaurismäki, Mungiu and Ozon but also believe Vinterberg and Schrader have to be considered.  Sigh.

These are the nine nominated films. 

A Monster Calls, J.A. Bayona, Spain
Bacalaureat (Graduation), Cristian Mungiu, Romania, France and Belgium
Bridget Jones's Baby, Sharon Maguire, UK, Ireland, France and USA
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, David Yates, UK and USA
Frantz, François Ozon, France
Kollektivet (The Commune), Thomas Vinterberg, Denmark, Sweden and Netherlands
La Pazza Gioia (Like Crazy), Paolo Virzì, Italy and France
Toivon Tuolla Puolen (The Other Side of Hope), Aki Kaurismäki, Finland and Germany
Vor der Morgenröte (Stefan Zweig - Farewell to Europe),  Maria Schrader, Germany, Austria and France

The winner will be announced on the stage during the European Film Awards ceremony on December 9, 2017 in Berlin.

Later today is the awards ceremony but there are some award winners already announced.



Official Selection

Golden Lion for Best Film
Silver Lion Grand Jury Prize
Special Jury Prize

Silver Lion for Best Director

Copa Volpi for Best Actress
Copa Volpi for Best Actor
Marcello Mastroianni Award for Best New Young Actress or Actor

Best Screenplay
Lion of the Future - Luigi de Laurentiis Award for Best Debut Film

Orizzonti Awards
Best Film
Special Jury Prize
Best Director
Best Actress
Best Actor
Best Screenplay
Best Short Film
Short Film Nominee for the European Film Awards

Venezia Classici
Best Documentary:
Best Restored Film:

Virtual Reality


Autonomous Sections

14th Giornate degli Autori
Director's Award:Candelaria, Jhonny Hendrix Hinestroza, Colombia, Germany, Norway and Argentina
Finalists
M, Sara Forestier, France
Mi Hua Zhi Wei (The Taste of Rice Flower), Pengfei, China
Label Europa Cinemas: M, Sara Forestier, France
People's Choice Award: Ga'Agua (Longing), Savi Gabizon, Israel

32nd Settimana Internazionalle della Critica - Venice International Film Critics' Week
Mario Serandrei Award: Les garçons sauvages (The Wild Boys), Bertrand Mandico, France
SIAE Audience Award:Temporada de Caza (Hunting Season), Natalia Garagiola, Argentina, USA, Germany, France and Qatar
Verona Film Club Award:  Team Hurricane, Annika Berg, Denmark

Collateral Awards

FIPRESCI Awards
Best Film of Venezia74: Ex Libris. The New York Public Library, Frederick Wiseman, USA (documentary)
Best Film in Orizzonti: Los Versos del Olvido (Oblivion Verses), Alireza Khatami, France, Germany, Netherlands and Chile

SIGNIS Award: La Villa (The House by the Sea), Robert Guediguian, France
Special Mention: Foxtrot, Samel Maoz, Israel, Germany, France and Switzerland

FEDEORA Awards (Federation of Film Critics of Europe and the Mediterranean)
Best Film: Eye on Juliet, Kim Nguyen, Canada, France and Moroco
Best Debut Filmmaker: Sara Forestier for M, France
Best Actor: Redouanne Harjane in M, Sara Forestier, France

Arca CinemaGiovani Award
Best Film Venezia74: Foxtrot, Samel Maoz, Israel, Germany, France and Switzerland
Best Italian Film: Denoise (Beautiful Things), Giorgio Ferrero, Italy, 12'

Fair Play Cinema Award: Ex Libris. The New York Public Library, Frederick Wiseman, USA (documentary)
Special Mention:Human Flow, Ai Weiwei, Germany and USA

FEDIC Award: La Vita in Comune, Edoardo Winspeare, Italy
Special Mention: Nico, 1988, Susanna Nicchiarelli, Italy and Belgium
FEDIC Mention - Il giornale del cibo:Le Visite, Elio Di Pace

Fondazione Mimmo Rotella Award
George Clooney for Suburbicon, USA
Michael Caine in My Generation, David Batty, UK (documentary)
Ai Weiwei for Human Flow, Germany and USA (documentary)

Francesco Pasinetti Awards - SNGCI
Best Film:Ammore e Malavita, Manetti Brothers, Italy
Special Mentions
Gatta Cenerentola, (Cinderella the Cat) A. Rak, I. Cappiello, M. Guarnieri and D. Sansone (animation)
Nico, 1988, Susana Nicchiarelli, Italy and Belgium

Future Film Festival Digital Award: The Shape of Water, Guillermo del Toro, USA
Special Mention: Candelaria, Jhonny Hendrix Hinestroza, Colombia, Germany, Norway and Argentina

Green Drop Award: First Reformed, Paul Schrader, USA

Human Rights Nights Award: The Rape of Racy Taylor, Nancy Buirski, USA
Special Mentions
L'Ordine delle Cose, Andrea Segre, Italy
Human Flow, Ai Weiwei, Germany and USA

La Pellicola d'Oro Awards - Production Directors
Italian Film: Daniele Spinozzi for Ammore e Malavita, Manetti Brothers, Italy
International Film: Riccardo Marchegiani for Mektoub My Love: Canto Uno, Abdellatif Kechiche, France and Italy
Miglior macchinista: Roberto di Pietro for Hannah, Andrea Pallaoro, Italy, France and Belgium

Online Critics Awards
Mouse d'Oro for Best Film in Competition: Mektoub My Love: Canto Uno, Abdellatif Kechiche, France and Italy
Mouse d'Argento for Best Film Out of Competition: Gatta Cenerentola, (Cinderella the Cat) A. Rak, I. Cappiello, M. Guarnieri and D. Sansone (animation)

Nuovo IMAIE Talent Award
Federica Rosellini in Dove cadono le ombre, Valentina Pedicini, Italy
Mimmo Borrelli in L'equilibrio, Vicenzo Marra, Italy

Sorriso Diverso Venezia 2017 Award:Il Colore Nascosto delle Cose, Silvio Soldini, Italy and Switzerland

Soutrack Stars Award: Alexandre Desplat for The Shape of Water, Guillermo del Toro, USA
Special Mention: Ammore e Malavita, Manetti Brothers, Italy
Career Achievement Award: Andrea Guerra

Brian Award: Les Bienheureux, Sofia Djama, France and Belgium
C. Smithers Foundation-CICT-UNESCO Award: The Shape of Water, Guillermo del Toro, USA
Cinema for UNICEF 2017: Human Flow, Ai Weiwei, Germany and USA (Documentary)
Civitas Vitae Award: Il Colore Nascosto delle Cose, Silvio Soldini, Italy and Switzerland
Coppa Codacons Ridateci i soldi:
Enrico Fulghignoni-CICT-UNESCO Award:Human Flow, Ai Weiwei, Germany and USA (Documentary)
Gianni Astrei Award:Gatta Cenerentola, (Cinderella the Cat) A. Rak, I. Cappiello, M. Guarnieri and D. Sansone (animation)
Interfilm Award: Los Versos del Olvido (Oblivion Verses), Alireza Khatami, France, Germany, Netherlands and Chile
Laterna Magica Award: L'equilibrio, Vicenzo Marra, Italy
Leoncino d'Oro Agiscuola Award: The Leisure Seeker, Paolo Virzi, Italy
Lina Magiacapre Award: Les Bienheureux, Sofia Djama, France and Belgium
Lizzani Award: Il Colore Nascosto delle Cose, Silvio Soldini, Italy and Switzerland
Open Award: Gatta Cenerentola, (Cinderella the Cat) A. Rak, I. Cappiello, M. Guarnieri and D. Sansone (animation)
Queer Lion: Marvin, Anne Fontaine, France
Sfera 1932 Award: La melodie, Rachid Hami, France

UNIMED Award:  La Villa (The House by the Sea), Robert Guediguian, France
Special Mention: Brutti e Cattivi, Cosimo Gomez, Italy

Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement: Jane Fonda and Robert Redford
Jaaeger-Le Coultre Glory to the Filmmaker Award: Stephen Frears
L'Oreal Paris per il Cinema Award: Valentina Corti
Persol Visionary Award: Liev Schreiber
Premi Pietro Bianchi: Michele Placido
Premio Gillo Pontecorvo - Arcobaleno Latino: Miao Xiaotian, CEO of China Film Coproduction Corporation

Awards ceremony was right down to its raison d'être as with no frills the two presenters started to name winners to later call jury members to present awards.  Can't say that like this format as find it the less entertaining of all.  Know many wish most festivals (and others) awards ceremonies were like this but believe we need a balance, a little entertainment with winners being announced.  Sigh.

My spontaneous reaction to winners is to feel great about the many female directors winners, including the Best Director award going to a female director for the first time ever in the 65 years of festival existence. Great.

Have no idea why top award went to the wining film as I'm no fan of Franco's films or performances, consequently not really interested in watching anything by or with him.  Sigh.  Still, there are a couple of films that absolutely became must-be-seen for me.

As was covered by all kinds of media, many films in all sections of festival came from Argentina so it's no surprise that many winners came from that country productions or co productions.  Still the most puzzling news came from Lerman's speech as was not aware how fragile the Argentinean film industry could be right now and honestly, if something negative happens will be a disgrace to Latin America and world cinema as there are many outstanding directors that have done extraordinary films and yes, wish they can continue doing them.  Sigh.

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As festival has already started to announce awards winners will do post with all winners but will be in progress until after the festival awards ceremony tonight.

Official Selection

Golden Shell for Best Film: The Disaster Artist, James Franco, USA

Silver Shell for Best Director: Anahí Berneri for Alanis, Argentina

Silver Shell for Best Actress: Sofia Gala Castiglione in Alanis, Anahí Berneri, Aragentina
Special Mention: Anne Gruwez in  Ni Juge, Ni Soumise (So Help Me God), Jean Libon and Yves Hinant, France and Belgium

Silver Shell for Best Actor: Bogdan Dumitrache in Pororoca, Constantin Popescu, Romania and France

Jury Prize for Best Screenplay: Diego Lerman and Maria Meira for Una Especie de Familia (A Sort of Family), Diego Lerman, Argentina, Brazil, Poland and France
Jury Prize for Best Cinematography: Florian Ballhaus for Der Hauptmann (The Captain), Robert Schwentke, Germany, France and Poland

Jury Special Award:Handia, Aitor Arregi and Jon Garaño, Spain

Kuxta-New Directors Award: Le Semeur (The Shower), Marine Francen, France
Special Mention: Matar a Jesús (Killing Jesus), Laura Mora Ortega, Colombia

Horizontes Latinos
Best Film:  Los Perros, Marcela Said, Chile and France

Zabaltegi Award
Best Film: Braguino, Clément Cogitore, France
Special Mentions
Darya Zhovner in Tesnota (Closeness), Kantemir Balagov, Russia
Spell Reel, Filipa César, France

Other Awards

FIPRESCI Award: Life and Nothing More, Antonio Méndez Esparza, Spsin and USA

Signis Award:Life and Nothing More, Antonio Méndez Esparza, Spsin and USA
Special Mention: Ni Juge, Ni Soumise (So Help Me God), Jean Libon and Yves Hinant, France and Belgium
60 Years Anniversary Special Award: Matar a Jesús (Killing Jesus), Laura Mora Ortega, Colombia

Fedeora Award: Charmøren (The Charmer), Milad Alami, Denmark
Special Mentions
Matar a Jesús (Killing Jesus), Laura Mora Ortega, Colombia
Pailalim (Underground), Daniel Palacio, Philippines

Eroski Youth Award: Matar a Jesús (Killing Jesus), Laura Mora Ortega, Colombia

6th Europe-Latin America Co-Production Forum
Best Project Award:Planta Permanente (Permanent Staff), Exequiel Radusky, Argentine
EFADs-CAACI Europe-Latin America Co-Production Grant:  El Agente Topo (The Mole Agent), Maite Alberdi Soto, Chile, France and USA
Euroimages Development Co-Production Award: Las Consecuencias (The Consequences), Caludia Pinto, Spain and Mexico
Arte International Prize: Akelarre (Witches' Sabbath). Pablo Agüero, Spain and France

Feroz Zinemaldia Award: The Disaster Artist, James Franco, USA

Films in Progress 32 Industry Awards
Film in Progress 32 Award: Ferrugem, Aly Muritiba, Brazil
Film Factory Award: Ferrugem, Aly Muritiba, Brazil
CAAC/Ibermedia TV Films in Progress Award: Ferrugem, Aly Muritiba, Brazil

Glocal in Progress Awards
Glocal in Progress Industry Award: Dantza, Telmo Esnal, Spain
Glocal in Progress Award:  Dantza, Telmo Esnal, Spain

Greenpeace Award: An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power, Bonni Cohen and Jon Shenk (documentary)

Ikusmira Berriak Award:  Las Letras de Jordi (Jordi's Letters), Maider Fernández Iriarte, Spain

Irizar Basque Film Award: Handia, Aitor Arregi and Jon Garaño, Spain
Basque Best Screenplay: Ximun Fuchs for Non (No), Eñaut Castagnet and Ximun Fuchs, Spain

Spanish Cooperation Award:  Alanis, Anahí Berneri, Aragentina

Sebastiane Award: 120 Battements par minute (120 Beats per Minute), Robin Campillo, France
 Special Mention: Soldatii. Proveste din Ferentari (Soldiers. Story from Ferrentari), Ivana Mladenovic, Romania, Serbia and Belgium
Sebastiane Latino Award: Una Mujer Fantástica (A Fantastic Woman), Sebastián Lelio, Chile, Germany and Spain

Solidarity Award: Au revoir là-haut (See You Up There), Albert Dupontel, France

TVE Another Look Award: Jusqu'à la garde(Custody), Xavier Legrand,  France

Audience Awards
Audience Award: Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, Martin McDonagh, USA
European Film Audience Award: Jusqu'à la garde(Custody), Xavier Legrand,  France

16th International Film Student Meetings Awards - Short Films
Panavision Award: 212, Boaz Frankel, The Sam Spiegel Film and TV School - Jerusalem (JSFS), Israel
Special Nominal Mention:  Ziet Der Unruhe (News 23/06/2016), Elsa Rosengren, Deutsche Film -und Fernsehakademie Berlin - DFFB, Germany
Orona Award: Ziet Der Unruhe (News 23/06/2016), Elsa Rosengren, Deutsche Film -und Fernsehakademie Berlin - DFFB, Germany

Donostia Award: Agnès Varda, Ricardo Darín and Monica Bellucci
Jaeger-LeCoultre Latin Cinema Award: Paz Vega
Zinemira Award: Julia Juaniz

The annual film critics awards post starts today.  Now all the fuzz and buzz about #Oscars2018 foreign-language submissions is over and it's time to start with all the fuzz and buzz from film critics that always gives you a better idea about the films that could win nominations and the one that will collect the award.  Yes, we know that not very often great films win AMPAS accolades, so IF we wish to guess right on the Oscars office pool or any of the many online polls -some with good prices- then here will find info for better guessing.  Enjoy!

Post will be a work in progress until the last critics group announces their winner which will happen in early February 2018.

Most critics' groups are American but you will also find groups from Canada, Ireland and UK -if info becomes available online.  This year will include again the FIPRESCI Grand Prix, an award voted by film critics from all over the world.  As in previous years' posts will publish link to read all the winners and will list winners in the following categories:  Best Film, Best Director, Best Actress, Best Actor and Best Documentary.  Before the list, and to have ALL critics info in one post, is the summary for major film critics' groups; each major group has a post in blog.

By now most know that announced or estimated date for each critics' group announcement is in blog's 2017/2018 Key Dates Calendar.  Most dates come from group official site while some estimates come from industry sources.

Major Critics' Groups

FIPRESCI
2017 Grand Prix: Toivon Tuolla Puolen  (The Other Side of Hope) by Aki Kaurismäki

Cahiers du Cinéma (CdC)
Top Ten List: Official Site

Los Angeles Film Critics Association (LAFCA)
Official Site

Critics' Choice Movie Awards (BFCA)
Official Site

Golden Globe Awards (HFPA)
Official Site

International Press Academy (Satellite Awards) (IPA)
Official Site

National Board of Review (NBR)
Official Site

New York Film Critics Circle (NYFCC)
Official Site

The List

African-American Film Critics Association (AAFCA)
Official Site

Alliance of Women Film Journalists (EDA Awards) (AWFJ)
Official Site

Atlanta Film Critics Society (AFCS)
Official Site

Austin Film Critics Association (AFCA)
Official Site

Black Film Critics Circle (BFCC)
facebook

Boston Society of Film Critics (BSFC)
Official Site

Boston Online Film Critics Association (BOFCA)
Official Site

Central Ohio Film Critics Association (COFCA)
Official Site

Chicago Film Critics Association (CFCA)
Official Site

Chicago Independent Film Critics Circle (CIFCC)
Official Site

Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association (DFWFCA)
Official Site

Denver Film Critics Society (DFCS1)
Official Site

Detroit Film Critics Society (DFCS2)
Official Site

Dublin Film Critics Circle (DFCC)

Entertainment Weekly (EW)

Filmcomment Film Society of Lincoln Center (FFSLC)
Official Site

Florida Film Critics Circle (FFCC)
Official Site

Gay and Lesbian Entertainment Critics Association (Dorian Awards) (GALECA)
Official Site

Georgia Film Critics Association (GFCA)
Official Site

The Guardian UK Top 10 films (TG)
Official Site

The Houston Film Critics Society (HFCS)
facebook

Indiana Film Journalist Association (IFJA)
Official Site

Indiewire Annual Critics Survey Voted by 200 individuals (IW)
Official Site

Iowa Film Critics Association (IFCA)

Kansas City Film Critics Circle (KCFCC)
Official Site

Las Vegas Film Critics Society (LVFCS)
Official Site

London Film Critics Circle (LFCC)
Official Site

National Society of Film Critics (NSFC)
Official Site

Nevada Film Critics Society (NFCS)
Official Site

New York Film Critics Online (NYFCO)
Official Site

North Carolina Film Critics Association (NCFCA)
Official Site

North Texas Film Critics Association (NTFCA)
facebook

Oklahoma Film Critics Circle (OFCC)
Facebook

Online Film Critics Society (OFCS)
Official Site

Phoenix Critics Circle (PCC)
Official Site

Phoenix Film Critics Society (PFCS)
Official Site

RollingStone Magazine (RS)
Article in Magazine: Official Site

St. Louis Film Critics Association (StLFCA)
Official Site

San Diego Film Critics Society (SDFCS)
Official Site

San Francisco Film Critics Circle (SFFCC)
Official Site

ScreenDaily UK Magazine (SD)
Article in Magazine:  Official Site

Seattle Film Critics Society (SFCS)
Official Site

Sight&Sound Film Magazine (163 International Critics) (S&S)
Article in Magazine: Official Site

Southeastern Film Critics Association (SEFCA)
Awards Site

Toronto Film Critics Association (TFCA)
Official Site

Utah Film Critics Association (UFCA)

Vancouver Film Critics Circle (VFCC)
Official Site

Variety Film Critics Poll (VFCP)
Official Site

The Village Voice Critics Poll (TVVC)
Official Site

The Washington DC Area Film Critics (WAFCA)
Official Site

Women Film Critics Circle (WFCC)
Official Site

Tally

The following is a summary with winners in the five main categories. Tally will be update when each group makes their announcement.

Best Film

Best Director

Best Actress

Best Actor

Best Documentary

The nominations for the 11th Asia Pacific Screen Awards (APSA), the region’s highest accolade in film, celebrating cinematic excellence were today announced in the seven narrative feature categories by Brisbane Lord Mayor Graham Quirk, together with former APSA International Jury President Lord David Puttnam, member of the APSA 2017 Nominations Council Kiki Fung and Chair of APSA and its Academy, Michael Hawkins.

41 films from 21 countries and areas of the Asia Pacific region have received nominations in 2017, including the first nomination for a film from Bhutan. Winners will be announced at the 11th APSA ceremony on November 23, where they will be presented with a unique and exquisite handmade APSA award vessel made by Brisbane-based internationally awarded glass artist Joanna Bone.

This edition has no clear nominations leader as there area three outstanding films leading the pack with three nominations each: Sweet Country by Warwick Thornton, The Third Murder by Hirokazu Kore-eda and Scary Mother by Ana Urushadze.

Perhaps what makes this edition remarkable is the Best Film category as for the first time in the short history of the event, three of these extraordinary filmmakers have had previous films win Asia Pacific Screen awards, Vivien Qu with Black Coal, Thin Ice in 2014, Samuel Maoz with Lebanon in 2010, and Warwick Thornton with Samson and Delilah, 2009; also Mohammad Rasoulof's Goodbye received three nominations in 2011.

Nevertheless, this year Best Film category has films by Vivian Qu, Samuel Maoz, Sergei Loznitsa, Mohammad Rasoulf and Warwick Thornton making category one with several of the most relevant contemporary filmmakers. Great.



Brisbane Lord Mayor Graham Quirk said “These five films tell unique stories from Australia, China, Iran, Israel and Russia, each representing the incredible diversity and high caliber of film-making from the Asia Pacific region. This is an significant opportunity for our city to host some of the world’s most respected names in film and a great chance for our local and national film industry to forge new connections with the region. The Asia Pacific Screen Awards helps to elevate Brisbane’s position as a cultural hub and is a testament to our role as a leader in the region.”

Chair of the Asia Pacific Screen Awards and its Academy Michael Hawkins said ”As APSA forges into its 11th year, it is significant to note that among the nominees there are not only a great number of newer filmmakers, but also a large number of filmmakers who are already a part of the growing Asia Pacific Screen Academy, which was created precisely to encompass and connect the large body of talented filmmakers in the Asia Pacific Region. Significantly, this year there are APSA Academy members nominated across almost all categories, and we look forward to welcoming all of the nominees both to Brisbane as well as into the growing Academy”.

We already know about most great films as they have been in the festival circuit and/or are submitted to #Oscars2018 Best Foreign-Language category; but, the most interesting discovery for me is one Philippine movie with two nominations which suggests to have a remarkable story and most of all, lead transformation into a gorgeous woman is most beautiful to watch.  Interesting as most films with similar stories have not-so-successful cinematic transformations, sigh.

These are the #APSA2017 nominations

Best Film
Foxtrot, Samuel Maoz, Israel, Germany, Lithuania and Netherlands
Jia Nian Hua (Angels Wear White), Vivian Qu, China and Fance
Krotkaya (A Gentle Creature), Sergei Loznitsa, France, Germany, Lithuania, Netherlands
Lerd (A Man of Integrity),  Mohammad Rasoulof, Iran
Sweet Country, Warwick Thorton, Australia

Best Youth Feature
Ba Yue (The Summer is Gone), Zhang Dalei, China
Jasper Jones, Rachel Perkins, Australia
Koca Dünya (Big Big World), Reha Erdem, Turkey
Sekala Niskala (The Seen and Unseen), Kamila Andini, Indonesia, Netherlands, Australia and Qatar
Ski-Baz (The Skier), Fereidoun Najafi, Iran

Best Animated Feature Film
Hao ji le (Have a Nice Day, Liu Jian, China
kimi no na wa (your name), Makoto Shinkai, Japan
Koe no Katachi (A Silent Voice), Naoko Yamada, Japan
Saving Sally, Avid Liongoren, Philippines and France
Window Horses: The Poetic Persian Epiphany of Rosie Ming, Ann Marie Fleming, Canada

Best Documentary
Changjiang (A Yangtze Landscape), Xu Xin, China
Kim Dotcom: Caught in the Web, Annie Goldson, New Zealand
Last Men in Aleppo, Feras Fayyad, Syria, Denmark and Germany
Taste of Cement, Ziad Kalthoum, Germany, Lebanono, Syria, UAE and Qatar
The Opposition, Hollie Fifer, Australia and Papua New Guinea

Achievement in Directing
Anna Urushadze for Sashishi Deda (Scary Mother), Georgia and Estonia
Andrey Zvyagintsev for Nelyubov (Loveless), Russia, Belgium, France and Germany
Kore-eda Hirokazu for Sandome no Satsujin (The Third Murder), Japan
Mouly Surya for Marlina si Pembunuh dalam Empat Babak (Marlina the Murderer in Four Acts), Indonesia, France, Malaysia and Thailand
Sanal Kumar Sasidharan for Sexy Durga, India

Achievement in Cinematography
Lyu Songye for Kong Shan Yi Ke (Ghost in the Mountains),  Heng Yang,  China
Mindia Esadze for Sashishi Deda (Scary Mother), Anna Urushadze, Georgia and Estonia
Pyotr Dukhovskoy and Timofey Lobov for Meshok Bez Dna (The Bottomless Bag),  Rustam Khamdamov, Russia
Shehnad Jalal for Loktak Lairembee (Lady of the Lake),  Haobam Paban Kumar, India
Warwick Thornton and Dylan River for Sweet Country, Warwick Thornton, Australia

Best Screenplay
Amit V Masurkar and Mayank Tewari for Newton, Ait V Masurkar, India
Boris Khlebnikov and Natalia Meshchaninova for Aritmiya (Arrhythmia),  Boris Khlebnikov, Russia
Dastan Zhapar Uulu and Bakyt Mukul for Atany Kereezi (A Father's Will),  Dastan Zhapar Uulu and Bakyt Mukul,  Kyrgyzstan
David Tranter and Steven McGregor for Sweet Country, Warwick Thornton, Australia
Kore-eda Hirokazu for Sandome no Satsujin (The Third Murder), Kore-eda Hirokazu, Japan

Best Performance by an Actress
Cut Mini in Athirah (Emma' (Mother)), Riri Riza, Indonesia
Ecem Uzun in Tereddüt (Clair Obscur), Yesim Ustaoglu, Turkey, France, Germany and Poland
Na Moon-he in I Can Speak, Hyun-seok Kim, Korea
Nata Murvanidze in Sashishi Deda (Scary Mother), Anna Urushadze, Georgia and Estonia
Shou Xun in Ming Yue Ji Shi You (Our Time Will Come), Ann Hui, China and Hong Kong

Best Performance by an Actor
Navid Mohammadzadeh in Bedoune Tarikh, Bedoune Emza (No Date, No Signature), Vahid Jalilvand, Iran
Paolo Callesteros in Die Beautiful, Jun Robles Lana, Philippines
Koji Yakusho in Dandome no Satsujin (The Third Murder), Kore-eda Hirokazu, Japan
Rajkummar Rao in Newton, Amit V Masurkar, India
Mohammad Bakri and Saleh Bakri in Wajib (Duty), Annemarie Jacir, Palestine, Colombia, France, Germany, Norway, Qatar, UAE

UNESCO Cultural Diversity Award
Centaur, Aktan Arym Kubat, Kyrgyzstan, France, Germany, Netherlands, and Japan
Dede, Mariam Khatchvani, Georgia, Croatia, Netherlands, Qatar and UK
Die Beautiful, Jun Robles Lana , Philippines
Loktak Lairembee (Lady of the Lake), Haobam Paban Kumar, India
Munmo Tashi Khyidron (Honeygiver Among the Dogs)m Dechen Roder, Bhutan

APSA International Jury
President: Jill Bilcock, editor, Australia
Adolfo Alix Jr., writer and director, Philippines
He Saife, actress, China
Yoshi Yatabe, Tokyo festival programmer, Japan
Adilkhan Yerzhanov, writer, director and cinematographer, Kazakhstan

Best Youth Feature Film, Best Documentary and Best Animation Jury
President: Haifaa Al Mansour, director, Saudi Arabia
Melanie Coombs, producer, Australia
Steve Abbott, producer, UK

Now in its second year, the APSA Young Cinema Award presented by NETPAC (Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema) and Griffith Film School (GFS) will be presented at the ceremony. This important Award recognises the abundant emerging talent of Asia Pacific which increases in prevalence in the APSA competition each year. The award is eligible to directors of debut or sophomore feature narrative films, with the recipient chosen from the APSA feature narrative film competition.

The APSA FIAPF Award for Outstanding Achievement in Film, to be announced soon and presented at the APSA ceremony, celebrates a film practitioner from the region whose career and actions contribute strongly to the development of the film industry.

The Asia Pacific Screen Awards, based in Brisbane, is supported by Brisbane City Council and managed by its economic development board, Brisbane Marketing. APSA has the privilege of a unique collaboration with Paris-based UNESCO and FIAPF-International Federation of Film Producers Associations, and recognises and promotes cinematic excellence and cultural diversity of the world’s fastest growing film region: comprising 70 countries and areas, 4.5 billion people, and is responsible for half of the world’s film output.

Nominees and Jury members are inducted into the Asia Pacific Screen Academy, making them eligible to apply for the 2017 MPA APSA Academy Film Fund. The Fund was created to support, at script stage, new feature film projects originated by APSA Academy members and their colleagues across Asia Pacific. The fund awards four development grants of US$25,000 annually, and is wholly supported by the MPA (Motion Picture Association).

APSA and its Academy is committed to its ongoing collaborations with UNESCO, FIAPF, the European Film Academy (EFA), the Motion Picture Association (MPA), NETPAC (the Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema), the Asia Pacific Screen Lab (APSL) and Griffith Film School.

The 43rd César Awards ceremony will be next March 2nd and is dedicated to one of the most iconic French actresses that passed away this year at the age of 89 years-old, Jeanne Moreau.

Alain Terzian, French Academy President, announced yesterday that with more than 130 films, 60 years of cinema career, one Cannes Best Actress award, one BAFTA, one Honorary Oscar, many Césars, many Molières ... Jeanne Moreau is this year's Academy honoree and the poster just starts the commemorations.

Beautiful poster with a photo by Marilù Parolini from François Truffaut's La mariée était en noir where undoubtedly Parolini captured her gaze filled with passion, her charisma and her magic.

Take a look. Enjoy!!!